


Mobster Seeking Monster

by MsMK



Series: F/P/S-Cest [6]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Adult Content, Explicit in some chapters, M/M, Mafia AU, Prostitution, Rus needs money fast, Sexual Content, Spicyhoney - Freeform, Sugar Daddy, Sugar daddy boss, mafia, mafiafell, papcest - Freeform, somewhat good prostitution, sugar baby Rus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:22:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsMK/pseuds/MsMK
Summary: Rus needs money fast, and as a prostitute that usually means taking anyone and everyone no matter how dirty and disgusting they are. But being called up to the penthouse to service an actual mob boss? Yeah, that was NOT on his radar for this evening, and he definitely doesn't look the part.What does Boss really want from him? And can Rus provide it?Explicit chapters will be marked with (*)Please read the additional warnings in the author's notes on each chapter
Relationships: Papyrus/Papyrus (Undertale), Spicyhoney, UF!Papyrus/US!Papyrus
Series: F/P/S-Cest [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1386517
Comments: 236
Kudos: 182





	1. Not Dressed For Success

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Rose and the Thorn](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25409551) by [keelywolfe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/pseuds/keelywolfe). 



> Here it is! I have no excuse for this except that I wanted it!

Rus swished and spit into the sink, making a disgusted noise at the greenish mix of toothpaste and cum that came up. Ron wasn't exactly his favorite client, and he never wanted a room, always preferred to fuck quick in the bathroom before not tipping. But he was consistent, and that was what mattered in the long run.

Yeah, that's what mattered, the consistent income. Most of his regulars were pretty filthy little creatures, fucking in the bathroom or the alley and smelling of unwashed fur, but they kept coming back because Rus would take them, because he couldn't get pregnant or get STDs, and because of  _ that _ he could raise his prices without worry they would go to someone else here.

And he needed the money.

Still, there was only so much washing your hands and brushing your teeth could wash away after encounters like these, and if Rus didn't need the money so desperately he would quit right now.

At the very least, he can take a break.

He took his bracelets off, sighing at his ruined outfit, covered in slime and cum. He scrubbed at it with his free hand, the wadded up paper towels leaving behind a damp trail but removing most of the ickiness. At least on the surface. A trip to the dressing room was in order, but for now he tucked his bracelets into his pocket, proof he was now on break and nobody was allowed to buy him again until he was damn good and ready, thanks. Or until his half hour lunch was up, whichever came first. He has ends to make meet after all.

"make it strong, muff," he sighed, sliding onto a bar stool and sliding his crumpled cash across the bar.

Muffet didn't even ask why it was slightly damp, nobody asked questions like that around here. Anyone in this bar, everyone in this hotel wearing two gold bracelets was a prostitute, everyone knows that, and Muffet handles every transaction with viper-like precision and venom, making sure nobody gets stiffed, underpaid, or assaulted under her watchful eyes.

Rus was grateful she was here, or someone with HP as low as his would likely be dust trying to do this kind of thing alone.

"You have another client," Muffet said cheerfully, pushing his dollars back at him alongside a water.

"i'm on break, they can wait," Rus insisted, pushing the money back at her.

"They absolutely will not wait," Muffet huffed, and Rus leaned back in surprise at her insistence. Usually she respected the breaks more than anyone. "You want to take this one, Rus. Trust me."

"...did they get a room?" He asked, and oh, a room with a shower, that sounded heavenly, his clients usually don't go for that but it would be a nice change of pace and help him through the rest of the night.

"More than that," Muffet said cryptically. "And they paid four times your rate."

Rus choked on his gulp of water, coughing and grabbing a napkin to prevent further ruining of his shirt. "holy fuck, seriously??"

"They want you now, so you'd best hurry to the elevator," Muffet insisted, shooing him up off the stool.

"but i need to go to the dressing room," Rus said, exasperated. "look at me, i'm not ready for a room client!"

"They want you exactly as you are, as soon as possible, and you do  _ not _ keep this client waiting." Muffet signaled to the dogs, and Rus stiffened as they approached.

Nobody gets taken by the dogs unless…

"you're sending me to the penthouse like  _ this? _ " He squeaked, disbelieving as Muffet shrugged and made a what-can-I-do motion.

He let them lead him away, his soul hammering in his chest. True, a penthouse client meant you definitely don't keep them waiting, and if she'd told him that before he might have hastened his time with Ron and quick-stepped it over to the elevator already. But it still meant he was meeting with one of the head honchos, either Boss or Red, and the thought of them seeing him like this did not seem like a great first impression to make on the city's most notorious mob bosses.

Well, it was probably Red, then, if he was okay with him coming up like a hot mess. Word was Red liked his whores messy and kinky, and messy and kinky was Rus' specialty. He doesn't think Red will be as quick as his other clients, but at the very least he'll be on a bed instead of a toilet or a counter or a cement wall.

The elevator dinged and the dogs pushed him into the penthouse, falling in behind him and folding their hands in front of themselves. Rus rubbed his arms, looking around curiously--he'd only ever seen the penthouse in pictures, but it was somehow more decadent in person. Gold filigree and crown moulding, decorations he'd only seen in Vanity Fair and a view of Ebbott City from massive windows that he had only ever seen in movies. The doors to the bedroom were wide open, and he could see a huge bed, bigger than anything he'd ever laid in before.

He heard the kitchen door open, and whirled around to face his client, completely unprepared and unsure how to look appealing at this point, afraid he'll get tossed out on his tailbone.

...a fear that tripled when the figure that emerged from the kitchen was not Red, as he had guessed it would be, but rather Boss--seven feet of pure terrifying beastly monster, softened only by his incredibly expensive silk shirt and the bottle of champagne and two glasses in his hand. Everything about him was so regal and not a thread out of place, and word was he was much, much pickier than his brother--Rus found himself shrinking back and thinking much too hard about his damp, threadbare outfit.

Boss seemed equally startled by his appearance as Rus was to find he wasn't Red, but his surprise faltered into anger and he rounded on the dogs immediately.

"You didn't let him wash up?" He hissed, and the dogs flinched, looking at each other.

"You said...as soon a possible," the one on the left explained, and Boss groaned, pinching his nasal bridge in frustration. The act softened him in Rus' eyes, and he relaxed minutely.

"Within reason, you fucking dimwits! Does he look to you like he's ready for anything other than a nap?" He glanced back at Rus. "No offense."

"none taken," he said quietly.

"I am so, so sorry," Boss said swiftly, and the idea of one of the bosses apologizing to  _ him _ was so absurd that he almost laughed. "There was a miscommunication. I only meant for you to be prepared for me as soon as was reasonable, not that you should be dragged without rest from...well, a much less savory experience, from the looks of it."

He looked back at the dogs, who flinched again as his gaze washed over them.

"Fix this," he ordered them. "Do you have a favorite food or drink?"

"uh...i like honey," Rus offered dumbly, and Boss rounded on the dogs again.

"Go to the kitchen and have the head pastry chef whip up something with honey. I don't care if it's on the menu or not, and pay twice as much as they ask. Do you understand me clearly, or do I need to write it down for you this time?"

They both stumbled to apologize, talking over each other and bonking into one another as they scrambled to cram into the elevator. After a moment of hurried apologies, the door finally closed on them and Boss sighed, setting the champagne and two crystal glasses on a small table.

"I really am sorry," he repeated. "This was supposed to be a nice thing, I relieve some stress and my brother sends someone up I might like, that someone gets an evening of pampering and good pay and everyone is happy. I don't know where it got mixed up along the way."

Rus shifted uncomfortably, so thoroughly confused and wondering what comes next. "it's fine."

"It's not, but I hope you'll take my apologies anyway, and anything else you need, just name it." Boss' crimson eyelights brushed over his appearance. "...let's get you in a shower, and I'll have someone send up some fresh clothes. Does that sound good?"

It sounded like absolute heaven, if he was honest, but it wasn't exactly what he was here for. Neither was champagne or dessert in his usual job description, and he hesitated. "...is that okay?"

He looked almost offended at the question. "Is that...of course it is! What kind of animal do you take me for? Go ahead, take as long as you like, use whatever products you find to get yourself into a better headspace. Then we'll take dessert and wine by the window."

Rus' head was spinning as he let Boss steer him through the huge bedroom to a mind-boggingly large bathroom, where he proceeded to start up a gigantic shower with heads on every wall. The water that came out smelled lightly of lilacs, and he pressed on the wall and part of it turned like a secret door to reveal a variety of soaps and lotions.

"holy hell," he mumbled to himself, luckily losing the sound beneath the splash of water as Boss tested the temperature.

"There you are. Here, see, this is the towel warmer, you'll get your towel here when you're done. I'll leave your fresh clothes on the bed and send these ones to the wash." Boss paused, looking over the outfit with a thinly veiled grimace. "Or the incinerator."

"do what you want with everything but the shoes," Rus said, pulling his bracelets out of his pocket and setting them on the counter. The movement caught Boss' eye and he watched, gears turning in his head.

"...They took you on your break, too," he sighed, irritation in his expression. "Don't worry, I'll be tightening a few things around here, clearly they are not treating our companions as well as they could."

"muffet tries," he protested weakly, a half-hearted attempt to save her. "i don't want anyone punished over me."

Boss chuckled, his scarred face twisting into an amused smirk. "Oh no, not punished. I only mean that the break system and rates clearly need to be revamped, if my employees end up looking like this after. Such a beautiful monster, but, and I say this as inoffensively as I can, you look like absolute hell."

Rus stayed quiet at that--it probably wasn't a good idea to mention that his shitty schedule was hand-picked by his own bony fingers to optimize financial returns at the expense of his own energy levels.

Instead Boss took the silence as his queue to leave, and Rus undressed, leaving the soiled clothes on top of the pristine toilet and lining his old sneakers up against the cabinet. The water felt like absolute bliss against his bones, and he groaned as the filth and grime from his previous clients washed down the drain, along with some of his aches. The slight tingle he felt alerted him to the latent green magic in the soaps he tried, and he isn't sure he's ever had a shower as refreshing as this.

True to his suggestion, Boss did not bother him until Rus chose to step out, wrapping the warm towel around himself and oh, it was so soft, so lovely.

He's pretty sure he would suck this guy's dick for free, just for the shower and the towel. It didn't hurt that he was one of the most renowned mob bosses in the city--one does not simply deny someone like that, so it isn't like he had to pay him at all, let alone as much as Muffet said he had put down.

And, if Rus was honest, he was pretty easy on the eyes, and Rus doesn't find many of his clients attractive so that really says something.

Rus donned the outfit on the bed, a pair of tight white slacks and the softest orange sweater he had ever touched, the perfect color to match his magic and he wondered how long these monsters had been watching him before they decided to give him a "night of pampering". Not that he was complaining, he's heard that Boss is picky with his companions and also that he never has the same one twice, so he may as well take advantage of tonight to enjoy the pampering and great pay.

"You look much more comfortable," Boss remarked as he entered the larger space again. "I trust the shower was sufficient? And the clothes, they fit well?"

"everything's perfect," Rus said honestly, accepting the champagne he offered and sitting in the chair he held out for him. He tried not to stare at the bountiful dessert sitting on the table, smothered in whipped cream and honey and his mouth was watering already--the dish probably cost more than his damn rent, and he turned his eyelights back to Boss.

"Please, eat," Boss offered, gesturing to the dessert. "It's the least I can offer for our less-than-savory introduction. I trust you know who I am, after all that?"

"yes, sir," Rus answered, picking up a spoon and wondering where he could start that wouldn't result in him shoveling it in his mouth to prevent a bigger mess. "you're boss. you own this place."

"My brother and I own this hotel, yes. And we own Muffet's hustle, you know that business rather intimately, I imagine. Do you feel at all unsafe with me, knowing who I am? What I'm capable of?"

Rus shook his head, closing his eyes and enjoying the dessert with a groan. "mmm...mm, oh, no, sir. i don't think you'll hurt me, not unprompted."

"You're correct, I won't hurt you, if you don't try to hurt me." Boss sipped his own champagne and leaned back in his seat. "I'll be frank with you. You're the first companion I've called for in over a year. The last one tried to kill me, and it took me a while to get over it."

"that's terrible," Rus cooed softly, putting his hand on Boss' knee gently. His usual customers don't require any coercing, but Rus had been hired for his charm to begin with. He was rusty, but it was there. "i wouldn't do that to you."

"Forgive me, but I already know you won't," Boss said stiffly. "You've been carefully selected by my brother, and I'm certain by now his background check has been...thorough. You would not be here if he suspected you would hurt me."

"oh." Rus hummed. "is that so? has he learned all about me, then?"

"Let me be clear about what I want from you," Boss interjected. "I'm not looking for a quick fuck. I require companionship, someone with a brain, a personality. I could sleep with anyone in this building but from what I hear you are both charming and smart, and yet you waste those companion skills with lowlife clients who want nothing but a hole to fuck. You will not mistake, I do not want that. I am above that, do you understand?"

"i understand," Rus soothed. "your mind is as lonely as your body, right? you need something more than a whore?"

Boss' eyelights flicked to Rus' hand on his knee, but he didn't mention it. Instead he simply sipped his champagne. "Yes. Precisely. It's impossible to find anyone trustworthy to even think of bringing into the mess I call a life."

"yeah, seems busy. seems too busy, maybe." Rus nodded. "so tell me about it?"

Boss hesitated, and then smirked, just slightly. "...Thank you. Mostly what bothers me is that nobody seems to think critically anymore…"

An hour later, Rus knew nothing more about Boss than he had known initially, except for his opinion on the current Milan fashions and his hatred for the color yellow. They had spoken mostly about nothing important, about the twinkling lights of the city and Rus' favorite TV show, nothing terribly stimulating and yet it was as if the atmosphere had physically lightened.

And at the end of the conversation, to his surprise, Boss tipped him $200 extra, boxed up his dessert, and told him to head home and get some rest, once again apologizing for the way things went down at the beginning of the night.

As he sat in the back of the provided car, heading home to his tiny apartment, the message tone for his scheduling app went off. He checked it, a message from Muffet telling him his clients for tomorrow were canceled. He tapped into his calendar in a hurry, worry crossing his mind as he wondered if this was him getting fired--

He chuckled, disbelieving. There was one client blocking out his entire schedule, next to the grayed out regulars. "Boss" blinked up at him, with a note that he clicked into to read.

_ Thank you for speaking with me, and I hope you forgive my sudden goodbye tonight. It felt wrong to put too much on you after the misunderstanding and discomfort you endured. Having sampled your charisma and ability to hold a conversation, I find myself wanting to see you again, properly this time. I would like to try again tomorrow, and to be sure we don't have more troubles, I hope you don't mind me buying out your whole evening. When you get in, head straight to the penthouse and use the facilities as you please until I get there. _

_ I'll see you then. _

_ -Boss _


	2. *The Businessman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus learns very quickly that Boss is very businesslike and logical. Lucky for him that means he's also incredibly thorough and forward-thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to this has been INSANE! I am so happy you all are so excited for this with me! I don't even know what to say except for thank you for all the comments, they have been so so so motivating!
> 
> Warnings: prostitution, light mention of sexual trauma related to prostitution, sexual content
> 
> Smut: p in v, high stamina, overstinulation, foreplay and aftercare, kisses and praise

Boss sighed, rubbing his temples with a murmured curse. His paperwork was starting to swim in front of his tired eyes, so much fucking paperwork! He's beginning to think he got the short end of the stick when he decided to take on the business side of things.

The only thing getting him through the day at this point was knowing that Rus was already upstairs, properly relaxing this time, and maybe it was silly to get excited about purchased companionship, but it gets lonely being the big bad boss all the time. He’d tried dating, and that hadn’t panned out, not to mention things were awfully awkward with Grillby at work now because of it. It was embarrassing to have his personal business out there like that, and if he didn’t trust Grillby still as a partner he would be worried about sensitive business details getting out.

But one of Muffet’s, especially one vetted by his brother for trustworthiness, would be the perfect person to info-dump on. Everyone would assume all they did was get their rocks off together, so his enemies wouldn’t bother checking into it, Boss had someone to talk to and get his frustrations out with, and he got to help someone financially that could really use it.

And in the process, he had someone who could tell him about all the things in the, er,  _ hotel business _ that could use a spit shine.

“heya, boss. quittin’ time or thereabouts.”

“Thank you, Brother, I have a clock,” Boss sighed, dropping his hands from his temples and picking up the papers in front of him once more. “Is there any particular reason you’re mucking about my office instead of taking that call waiting on line one for you?”

Red shrugged, his massive shoulders lifting and knocking into the nearby coat stand. “eh, make ‘em sweat a bit before i answer. so, how’d y’like that ass i sent ya last night? do i know yer type or what?”

“He was perfectly lovely for conversation, but your dogs brought him to me a bit of a mess so I let him go early.”

“aw, what?” Red sighed. “i spent hours and resources diggin’ up that kid an’ you didn’t even get any?”

“Fear not, we’ve another meeting tonight, maybe I’ll get there this time without the interference of your mangy mutts.” Boss tapped the pile of papers against the desk to straighten them. “But first I need to finish this paperwork.”

“ay, yi-yi, boss,” Red groaned, rolling his eyelights as he turned to leave. “you gotta fuckin’ let loose sometime, man, before you explode.”

“Thank you for your poignant, yet as-always unsolicited advice,” Boss sniped as the door closed. “Little shit.”

To be fair, he hadn’t really planned on doing all this paperwork  _ right  _ now, but if Red wanted him to let loose then he could damn well help with some of it next time. Boss grumbled as he swiped his signature across a few pages and set them in the finished pile. He supposed he should probably freshen up himself, no sense in walking into the room smelling of gunpowder and sweat.

* * *

“Champagne,” Boss ordered, the elevator ticking up slowly. “And my usual for dinner. I trust he has already ordered for himself?”

“No, sir,” Tiberius said, his nose twitching. “He said he was going to wait for you. Sir.”

“Very well,” Boss hummed, nodding as he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up. “I will call with his order and you can make ours together. Has he at least ordered something to drink? Anything?”

“...no, sir,” the dog answered slowly, and Boss sighed.

“Really? Three hours he has been here and you’ve brought him nothing? Please use your head next time.” The elevator dinged and Tiberius saluted him as he stepped off and into the main living space of the penthouse. “Champagne. Please.”

“Of course, sir.”

He turned and walked into the suite, the elevator closing behind him as he wondered what the minimum IQ was on new hires, but ultimately he decided Red probably just...preferred brawn over brain.

“Rus?” He called out, seeing the living space empty. “Are you here?”

He received no reply, but the bedroom door was slightly ajar. Perhaps he simply hadn’t heard him, the space was large and--

He paused in the doorway, a chuckle escaping as he finally found his companion. Showered and dressed in fine clothes, he certainly seemed brighter and more relaxed than yesterday--so relaxed, in fact, that he had fallen fast asleep on the king-sized bed, perhaps while waiting.

Well, he’d told him to make use of the facilities to his discretion, and that’s what he was doing. He can’t fault him for following directions. Besides, it was nice to see him so relaxed, so trusting that Boss would be a gentleman upon seeing him in such a state. It’s interesting, given what he knows about all this man has been through, the sort he usually takes on as clients,  _ and _ his low HP, it’s almost...recklessly trustful.

It’s endearing, in a way. Boss has never had the luxury of trusting a stranger like this.

“Rus,” he called softly, keeping his hands to himself and watching his freckled face twitch, his sockets blinking open slowly. He  _ was _ beautiful, his brother did know his type, he had to admit. “Good morning, or evening as it is.”

“hmm…?” Rus blinked once, then twice, and then suddenly his sockets widened, and Boss leaned back as he shot up from the bed in horror. “shit! i fell asleep! i am  _ so  _ sorry!”

Boss chuckled, holding up a hand to cut off further apologies. “Don’t be sorry, that’s what beds are for nine times out of ten. I told you to get comfortable and you did.”

“yeah, but it’s such bad etiquette,” Rus laughed nervously, straightening his vest. “sometimes, uh, some clients get really mad. if you sleep.”

“Well, I’m not mad. I’m happy to see you are comfortable here, with me. As ill-advised as it is to be comfortable around a man like myself, I do appreciate it. Are you hungry?”

He hesitated, and then shook his head. “no, i ate, don’t worry about me.”

Boss raised a brow but didn’t question it. He knows he hasn’t eaten since he’s been here, but then, maybe he ate before. “Then we can hold off on ordering for now. The champagne should be here soon.”

He saw it, a flicker of a grimace, the slightest expression of distaste before it was slipped effortlessly behind a cheeky grin. “love a little liquid courage.”

“...Do you not like champagne?” Boss pressed.

“i like what you like,” Rus answered, his hand covering Boss’ lightly on the bedspread. “you must know a lot about wine, being so rich. i trust your pick.”

“I do know a lot about wine,” Boss agreed, turning his hand so that Rus’ lay in his own gently. “Including the fact that it isn’t everyone’s favorite, and Champagne especially can be abrasive to those who don’t drink it often.”

“whatever you want is fine with me, really,” Rus insisted, leaning closer a bit, his sockets hooded. “but if you’re asking what my favorite drink is, it’s a tennessee iced tea with honey whiskey if you got it.”

Boss looked him right in the eye as he pulled his phone out. It rang once, and the other end clicked. “Tennessee Iced Tea to the Penthouse. Honey whiskey. Thank you.”

Rus chuckled as he hung up. “damn. you do this for all your whores?”

“Companion,” Boss corrected him. “I would never call you a whore, and you should refrain from calling yourself that in my presence.”

“but it’s what i am,” Rus shrugged. “put a dress on a cow and all that. the word don’t bother me none.”

“Well, it bothers me,” Boss said sternly, reaching up to touch his cheekbone. “You are more than your fuckable parts, as are all of Muffet’s workers. So forget that word. You are my companion for the evening, nothing less. If you choose to let me touch you or not is none of my concern.”

Rus stared at him, flabbergasted confusion on his face, but he recovered quickly with a huffed laugh. “okay, you’re paying, i won’t say it. you’re an...interesting person, you know.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

There was a knock, and at his behest the door opened and Tiberius brought him a bucket with champagne and Tennessee honey whiskey, and a glass of iced tea so Rus could mix his own. Just as swiftly, as is probably wise to avoid an expected scolding, he retreated and closed the door.

As expected, Rus put a bit more whiskey in his tea than Boss might have, but he didn’t mention it, instead poured his own flute of champagne and set the bucket aside, leaning back against the headboard.

“so,” Rus hummed as he sipped his tea. “what’s the topic tonight? milan fashion again? parisian cooking?”

“I was hoping to learn a bit more of you,” Boss said honestly. “Forgive me if that’s outside of the pay grade, but I’m curious about you. I know some details, as I’ve hinted, but the  _ why  _ is a curiosity.”

"why what?" Rus pried, cocking his head and smirking at him. "you'll have to be more specific, stud."

"Why this? Selling yourself?" Boss asked, setting his glass aside and angling towards Rus completely. "You have a bachelor's in graphic design. Moderate success in your art career, including a piece that hangs in this very hotel. You and I spoke of fashion last night and you knew all the vocabulary, all the styles. On paper you're well-off in brains, talent, and opportunity, and yet in practice you live in a terrible neighborhood in a small apartment and for work you do this, which while I am grateful to have you, is not always pleasant. You don't have to answer if I'm overstepping, and it isn't my intention to bring the mood down, but I think it would be best to ask and get it out of the way than to blurt it out later."

"so, why prostitution?" Rus hummed, running his finger over the lip of his glass. "why not be a starving artist or an unpaid intern? money. i'm good at sex and i'm easy to sell--can't get pregnant the sex way, can't get STDs, new pussy every time i summon it, no gag reflex. like i'm made for it."

"By that standard, wouldn't I also be suited for this kind of job?" Boss asked, raising his brow.

Rus nearly choked on his drink, laughing nervously as he used a pocket hankie to wipe his mouth. "no! god, no, someone like you would be...well, you already have a well-paying job, there's no reason for you to do this."

"No? Maybe it would be fun. I could see what it's like from the inside, in a manner of speaking." He smirked at Rus' laugh, a soft noise of amusement and yes, his brother did his research a little too well, didn't he? "You're too talented to reduce yourself to this forever, Rus. I've seen your works. Do you know where your painting hangs in this hotel?"

"i dunno. the lobby?"

"My office," Boss corrected him. "I caught Muffet hanging it in the bar and asked if I could have it. At the time I didn't know it was yours but, now I know."

"wow, what a coincidence," Rus teased. "are we in a hallmark movie or what?"

"I'm serious."

"and i'm rus," he said flippantly. "and i'm your purchased companion for the evening, so does it really matter if i can paint?"

"You want me to stop asking about it. Noted." Silence fell for a long moment and Boss breathed in deep. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"you're the boss, you know, you don't have to apologize to me," Rus chuckled, taking a deep drink of his tea before setting it aside. "maybe if i show you how good i am at sex, you'll understand why i'd do that over art."

"Is that an invitation?" Boss purred, taking the change of subject and setting his drink on the bedside table. He took Rus' when he offered it to do the same.

"maybe it is," Rus hummed back, crawling over to settle in his lap. Slender fingers unbuttoned his vest and shirt, revealing teasing snatches of pearly white bone. "that is, if you're done talking, boss man."

"I have you all night," Boss replied, wrapping his hands around Rus' hips and pulling him in roughly. "We can always talk later, between rounds."

"oh, between rounds, huh?" Rus breathed, grabbing Boss' tie and loosening it slowly. "boasting some stamina?"

"Like a stallion. Unless, of course, you can't handle that."

"i can handle it," Rus said firmly, sliding the tie from him and leaning in closer, and oh, he smelled heavenly, he was warm and inviting and Boss hummed in appreciation, his hands wandering to drag over bare bone beneath his open shirt.

It was clear to Boss that while sex was his job, there was usually a lack of foreplay or at least a lack of enjoyable foreplay, as Rus went still at the touch, relaxing only when Boss dragged his hand back down lightly.

"I want a yes," Boss said softly, looking into his hooded sockets. "And I want you to mean it. Not a yes because of the money, or because of who I am. Do you want me to keep touching you?"

"yes," he breathed, a shudder running down his back as Boss did exactly that, leather gloves tracing down his spine.

The consent was felt in his Intent, and it was fervent and wanting and desperate. Boss closed his eyes, letting the Intent wash over him--years of honing his ability to sense Intent, and ironically he's using it to make sure he is pleasing the bedmate he paid to have sex with him. Some big bad monster he is, isn't he?

But he can be soft here, right? That's what he's paying Rus for, for a safe place to be soft, a place where he doesn't have to be the big bad for once. For someone who isn't scared of him, who trusts him to be gentle.

So far he's ticking all the boxes.

By the time he has him undressed, Rus is already formed, beautiful honey-gold magic waiting for him. It almost makes Boss jealous, thinking of all the people who've seen him like this, who haven't appreciated the view properly. Rus deserves better--he doesn't know him well personally, but he knows enough to suspect he doesn't belong here, doesn't belong in a brothel or underneath someone for money--at least not as desperately as he's been. According to Muffet he's quite reckless with his schedule, taking person after person or multiple at a time, or the seediest customers, and Muffet was relieved when Boss offered a higher rate, stating that "maybe that child will give himself a break with pay like that".

"for someone paying by the hour, you sure take your sweet time."

Boss chuckled, running his fingertips gently up his legs, enjoying the shudder of anticipation that traveled down his partner's body. "I'm calculating if I need to size down. My natural state can be quite intimidating and I've had to control it in the past for my companions."

To his delight, that admission did not spark fear, but rather a muttered "holy christ,  _ yes _ " and a needy shudder, and he figured that was a good sign. His shirt was long since unbuttoned and loose, but now he reached down to make sure his pants matched, sagging them down his femurs and letting his magic form heavily in his hand. It didn't take much, just seeing Rus watching him with those eyelights was enough to make him spring to life.

"well, damn," Rus purred, sitting up and leaning down, replacing Boss' hand with his own. "i see you aren't all talk. they call you boss for a reason."

"Well, I don't think it's because of my dick, but I'll accept the compliment."

“let me show you a real compliment,” Rus said, eyelights glinting with desire and mischief.

Boss could only hum in satisfaction when Rus leaned in, taking Boss’ huge cock in his mouth. His tongue was doing some tricks Boss might have to google later, his fingers dancing over bone until he found the spot that made Boss’ knees buckle. The summoned magic that cushioned his mouth was warm and wet and tight, and he pressed forward fearlessly with his lack of gag reflex, impressive even for a skeleton. Boss swore and gently pressed his hand to the back of his head, encouraging him to keep going, and oh, yes, Rus wasn’t kidding when he said he was good at sex.

Reluctantly he did eventually have to pull him off, he wasn’t about to call the game early. Even if he didn’t have much of a refractory period, he still had so much to do.

“Rude little thing,” he growled as Rus wiped his mouth. “Going straight for the dick when you haven’t even kissed me yet.”

“golly gee, sir,” Rus sighed, oh-so-dramatic and the proper amount of sarcastic. Either he had a deathwish or he was much better at reading what type his clients want than Boss had given him credit for. “i’ll fix that oversight right away, boss man.”

“You’d better,” Boss mumbled, and he did, leaning up to meet him fearlessly in the middle and Boss’ head was swimming in ecstasy, so high on Rus’ excitement and eagerness that he didn’t even question it when Rus pushed him down, climbing on top of him and wresting Boss’ precious control away with well-placed kisses and fingers.

Rus’ smug look was well-deserved as he sunk down on Boss’ cock, taking it all and how it fit Boss had no idea but for the weak excuse of magic.

“oh, fuck,” he sighed as he hilted all the way. “mmm...ah, fuck!”

“Do you like that?” Boss breathed, his eyelights trained on Rus’ hooded sockets, his look of pure ecstasy.

“hell, yes,” Rus groaned, shuddering in pleasure and he felt so good, fit so perfectly. “oh, fuck, been a while since anybody’s made me feel like this.”

He was paid to say that, but Boss took it anyway, chose to believe the act. There was truth to it, of course, he could feel it--you can’t fake the way he throbbed around his cock.

Rus’ moans were quickly turned to screams of pleasure as Boss rolled over on top of him, taking over quickly with a fierce kiss to muffle them. He pinned his wrists to the bed, and Rus arched into him, and his name sounded so good coming in heated moans from his teeth.

“You’re so perfect,” Boss hummed, delighting in that flushed face, the nervous laughter. “So gorgeous for me right now. So tight, gods, I don’t know if I’ll last if you keep making those noises.”

Rus could only gasp and arch harder into him, the praise winding its way through all of his defenses and straight into his animal brain and oh, fuck, Boss was  _ big _ , and he knew how to use it. Rus has sex for a living and he knows how to play it up, but the way he was gripping the blanket wasn’t an act with the way this man had him seeing stars.

“oh, fuck, please, boss, please, harder--ahh!” He squeaked as Boss heeded his command and oh, just a little more, just a little more and he might actually do it, he might actually cum with a partner for the first time in ages, oh, oh, just a little bit more--

He tightened, his grip nearly tearing the silken sheets as he wrapped his legs around Boss. Taking the queue, Boss abandoned his wrists to wrap a massive arm around his waist, pulling him in, sharp teeth at his neck and then everything buzzed pleasantly as he came with a shocked moan, pleasure rocking him as Boss fucked him through it before cumming himself with a grunt, and Rus had never felt so full as when that cock swelled inside him, pumping and causing little shocks of overstimulation.

Fuzzy white bliss overtook him and he shuddered in response to the light touches. His jaw ached, his cunt throbbed pleasantly, he felt used but in a damn good way. How did he get so fucking lucky? How did he catch the interest of a high-roller who's strong, kind, powerful, totally packing  _ and _ good in bed? His bliss fizzled out when he remembered that this  _ was _ a job, and yeah he'd earned an extra night on a technicality, but Boss never gets the same whore twice-- 

He nearly jumped off the bed at the sensation of a wet washcloth running over his bones, cleaning away the damp mix of fluids left behind.

"Easy," Boss soothed, a gentle hand holding him down reassuringly. "I'm only cleaning you. Relax, let me do the work."

"i can do that," Rus chuckled, slightly ticklish at his light touches. "cleaning up after isn't really your responsibility."

That made Boss pause, and to his surprise it prompted another kiss, and while it caught him off guard it was not unwelcome, and Rus took full advantage of the moment to tug Boss back down into bed with him.

His clients aren't usually much for foreplay or aftercare. Even during, kisses are few and far between, less of intimacy and more of desperate pawing and thrusting while Rus tries not to look at his watch. It's been a while since he's lost track of time with a client, since he hasn't cared or even dreaded the timer going off, but with Boss it was as close to true intimacy he had ever gotten, and so sue him, he wants it.

By the time Boss had kissed down his ribcage, he was already wet and ready, breathing heavy and oh, his tongue--

The next few hours went much the same, and Rus greedily enjoyed every second of it until finally he began to tire out. His stallion was energetic to the end, and Rus' labored breathing and sluggish movements were unfortunately the queue for Boss to call it a night. Rus made no protests when Boss began to clean him this time, sinking into the plush comforter and moving as little as possible. Through half-lidded, sleepy sockets he watched the most notorious mobster in the city clean him with gentle hands and a triumphant smirk.

"sorry i couldn't keep up," Rus huffed as Boss nudged him into a soft robe. "never had a client with so much stamina...i can reimburse you for the time."

"Nonsense, you did your part," Boss scolded him, tying the robe shut and smoothing it over his bones. "I paid for your leisure, not your energy."

"...you're not so scary, you know," Rus hummed, sockets blinking heavily as Boss drew the blanket up over him. "...thanks for showing me a good time, boss man. wish every client was like you."

As he fell asleep, he almost thought he felt Boss gloved hand caress his skull, a sweet punctuation to the promised night of pampering. He would think of this night for a long time, dream of it, imagine it with other clients…

...he'll never forget this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I wrote some shut so I hope it was pretty good! This is not over by a long shot so stay tuned and don't be afraid to tell me how you liked it!


	3. A Good Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's daylight now, which means it's time for Rus to go about his daytime life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited reveal of Rus' daily life, and why he needs money
> 
> Warnings: medical/hospital, cancer mention, US terrible medical system, high medical costs

Rus didn't really think, when he fell asleep, that he would be allowed to stay in this plush bed all night. He'd assumed at some point he'd be woken and dressed, sent home before the dawn in a private car to pass out on his own lumpy mattress.

So when he woke on his own, to the sunshine trickling in through the large vertical blinds, he was groggy and confused, sluggish as he propped himself up. His robe was slipping down his shoulder, the comforter tangled in his legs, and contrary to what he had thought, nobody was waking him. He was just...waking up in the penthouse. Like some rich person.

He looked around, finally spotting his phone sitting primly atop a pile of fresh clothes, and with a yawn he pulled himself reluctantly from the comfy bed to get dressed.

Somebody in the ranks was taking good notes, because despite being better quality than what he has in his closet, the clothes were much closer to his normal style than what he wears to meet with clients. He pulled the soft orange hoodie on, followed by a pair of well-tailored khaki pants that highlighted his long legs. Usually he didn't care much for tighter clothes, he got enough unwanted attention on the streets without it, but he looked good in these. 

Handsome. Like he had his shit together.

He pulled the front of his sweatshirt up to his face, breathing deeply. It smelled freshly laundered, but he was happy to find a lingering hint of Boss’ cologne, just a little bit, as if maybe his dry cleaners just spritz everything with it before they give it to him. It was enough to bring back some X-rated memories of last night, and he hummed, enjoying the thought as he pocketed his phone, exiting the bedroom with a little pep in his step.

In the living space he was pleased to find a breakfast spread, light foods and honey worth twice what he got paid in a night. He almost walked past it, so sure he was to leave right away, but he had glanced over there for sheer curiosity, hoping to see the view of Ebbott one last time and finding this alongside it. There was an envelope, and he picked it up, turning it in his hands. His name was scrawled on the front in handwriting that meant business, tight curls in the letters and precision his chicken-scratch could never match.

He tried to open it carefully, but of course he ripped it all up. He sighed, pulling the paper out to find the same handwriting on the inside.

_ Rus _

_ I regret that I could not stay longer to take breakfast with you, but something urgent came up this morning and I had to head in early. I hope you can forgive my rudeness. _

_ Please enjoy this breakfast, and the included tip, as an apology for not seeing you off properly this morning. Last night was wonderful in many ways, but while you are correct in your assumption that you are very good at sex, I still maintain that your true talents are wasted in this line of work. _

_ I hope you will take this tip and spend it on something you love. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Boss _

Rus’ eyelights flicked back to the envelope curiously, and he fished around for the mentioned tip. It seemed just like Boss, somehow, to tip with both money and advice, and it might have made him laugh if not for the sheer amount of zeroes he found on the check, holy  _ crap _ , there’s no way any bank would cash this for him! He looked it over again, and again, trying to see if maybe he had just misplaced a decimal, but no, he really did tip him four digits.

Spend it on something he loves, well, of course he will. Unfortunately, it probably won’t be the kind of thing that Boss had in mind, and he was certainly not going to be able to quit anytime soon. It helped, oh yes, it definitely did, and he was beyond grateful, but by the end of the day this money would be gone into an endlessly growing hospital bill.

It’ll be worth it, though, when Blue is finally cancer-free. Maybe then Rus could think about quitting, he mused as he sat to enjoy the breakfast. He would usually, after his own rent and food and everything, only make about 60% of what they charged, and that extra always got piled onto the overall bill, growing more and more intimidating every month as each treatment seemed to do less and less…

The sweetness of the pancakes, the taste of expensive honey, was enough to distract him from that thought. At the very least, some of this tip could go to an immediate distraction, maybe some new puzzle books for his brother to devour in his endless tedium, maybe some new strings for his guitar so he could play some music again. If he really wanted, he could buy some new paints, maybe some canvas...yeah, that was a good idea, he could make something new for Boss to hang in his office, something just for him as a thank you for everything he’s given him these last two days. He looked around, making a mental note of some things he could use as a subject, or for inspiration. 

With that he reluctantly finished his breakfast, piling his dishes and standing with a sigh. The ride down the elevator was quiet, even the dog that was seemingly waiting for him said nothing as he went down to the lobby. He decided it would be wise not to ask him too many questions, so instead he only asked one, when they were getting into the car.

"can you take me to the bank first?"

* * *

Somehow the chauffeur service lasted for a few trips. The dog took him where he asked and didn't question it, a surprise, but a pleasant one. First the bank to deposit what he'd made, then the store for things for Blue to do in the hospital, then to an art store for the painting things he wanted, and finally the hospital.

"m'gonna be here all day," he said to the dog, who only stared at him with reflective sunglasses, the inner workings of his mind a mystery. "...uh. dismissed, i guess?"

The dog nodded, and the shiny black car pulled away. There it goes, the very end of his pampering, but hey, it was good while it lasted. Maybe he'll earn another night if Boss likes his new painting enough.

The first stop was the front desk, to flash his card to the receptionist and watch her type his earnings away. There it goes, wave it goodbye, he thought bitterly as he took the card back.

"Bless you for paying all this," the receptionist said softly. "Medical prices in this country should be a crime. I'm sorry, sweetie."

"whatever it takes," he responded cheerfully. Nothing he could do about it, but it was nice of the hospital workers to care.

"You're a Saint. He's waiting for you."

A Saint he was not, but he would take the compliment. He headed down the well-known path to his brother's room, up the stairs to the cancer ward, third door on the left.

"Papy!" Blue exclaimed, sitting up with a wince. His bones creaked a little, and he looked ashen and worn, nothing like the excitable little brother who used to do push-ups while he gardener. But his smile was still there, and no worse for wear, as Rus leaned in to kiss the top of his skull.

"mornin', baby blue, how we feeling today?"

"A little tired, but, could be worse," Blue said, leaning up for the following hug. Rus was careful of all his wires, holding his criminally slight body close and sighing, squeezing him as hard as he dared. "You smell nice! Are these new clothes?"

"yeah, thought it was about time for at least one new outfit," Rus chuckled, holding up his bag of art supplies. "a big wig likes my art, so, i got a decent amount from him."

"That's so great, Papy," Blue sighed, leaning back against his pillows. "I'm so glad you're making money off your art like that. All that art school was worth it, huh? My brother, the famous painter."

"not famous yet," Rus reminded him with a laugh. "private commissions until you get better. then maybe i can do some pieces i can share with the public."

"You aren't spending all your money on me, I hope?" Blue scolded, scowling. "You better be saving some of that hard-earned pay for yourself."

"new clothes _and_ supplies," he pointed out, setting the bag down and picking up the bag of puzzle books. "aaaaaand perhaps i picked up some crosswords and sudoku you haven't done yet."

"Oooh! Gimme gimme!"

He laughed, and yeah, his brother looked good today. It was a good day, crawling into the bed beside him to do crosswords together. He'd have to head back to the bar later, have to go back to his usual grind, but before that he could set up his painting space at home. His studio apartment was tiny, but he had the perfect painting space, and when visiting hours were over he would have a few hours to get started on the new painting.

Yeah. A great night, great breakfast, chauffeur, his brother, and painting time…

...it was a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rus is doing it all for his brother, under the guise of selling his art for the extra cash! Poor babies
> 
> On another sadder note did you know cancer meds can cost like 10k a MONTH? US medical system is a joke 🙃


	4. A Change of Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus' night isn't going how he expected, and Boss has to make a quick decision on if he's going to let Rus go or pull gim in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you all are enjoying this so much! This dynamic is indeed interesting, I'm finding myself getting really lost in the aesthetic of each scene
> 
> Warnings: very very slight yandere/control vibes

There's nothing quite like the smell of new paint. Rus knows you're not supposed to  _ sniff _ it, but how can he not enjoy the atmosphere of his art? The feeling of new brush hairs over his fingertips, the texture of the canvas as he sketches out his idea, soft music playing and the sunset trickling through his broken blinds as his paintbrush glides across the surface.

It wouldn't be quite the same as the one Boss already owns. That one was an older piece, a still life of a bundle of wilting roses in a cracked vase. The imperfection of the subject was what interested Rus at the time, and somehow it had spoken to Boss, probably in a deeper way than Rus could imagine. 

But this, this piece would be full of energy, a sprawling cityscape as viewed from the penthouse windows and as he closed his eyes, he could remember it perfectly. The buildings each vibed with their own lights and souls, and it was more verging on exploratory territory than the pristine still life he had been into before. Colors splashed across the canvas, shapeless and strange until they eventually became buildings.

A shame he wouldn't have time to finish it now. He really hated putting a painting away partway through, and almost ignored his alarm. But no, he may have had a Cinderella night, but now everything was pumpkins again and he needed to get back to the patch. He took his time, washing his materials, running wet bristles over his fingers until the water ran clear.

He was still thinking about techniques and colors as he dressed in the dressing room, vaguely listening as the other prostitutes chattered around him, until his name cut through the fog as he pulled an outfit from his rack.

"Rus got the royal treatment last night, didn't he?" Jolene hummed, and some of the girls giggled around her as she flicked her hair over her shoulder. She looked at him, pulling her tube top up a little higher on her chest. "Well? You gonna spill, Hon?"

"no," Rus chuckled, shaking his head. "m'not kissing and telling on a mob boss, m'not stupid."

"Aww, come on!" Jolene sighed, and the other girls chimed in a chorus. "Nobody's been with the Big Boss in over a year, Rus! Tell me, does he still have a stick up his ass or did he let you peg him?"

Rus laughed, a short laugh of disbelief. "what? jo, please."

"Oooh, so he treated you, then? All night, I bet. Charity says she saw you walking out of the penthouse elevator mid-morning."

"he let me sleep in and had breakfast for me." Rus tossed a shiny gold scarf at her. "...it  _ was _ really good though. he managed to tire me out."

"Ooohh, how's it feel to be Boss' favorite?" Kellie asked, poking an eyelash into place before winking at him. "Feel fancy yet?"

"m'not his  _ favorite _ ," Rus chuckled. "everyone knows he never gets the same one twice. i only went up twice by technicality."

"Oh, sure, that's why you're grinning like an idiot."

"shut up, jo," Rus laughed as Kellie and Raina pushed him toward the outfit rack. "what, what?"

"You're gonna dress better than this tonight," Raina insisted, snatching his simple outfit from his hands. He tried to snatch it back, dammit that was the easiest one to clean! "You're caviar now, baby, you gotta look like it! Act like it! You can't accept less than $150 an hour after someone spent twice that on you."

"that's a nice thought, but--" Rus snatched the shirt back from her. "--one night with someone fancy doesn't automatically make me fancy. you all know my niche here an' it isn't fancy in the slightest."

"Oh, Rus, baby," Jolene sighed, setting down her lipstick. "You only get slobs because you welcome them. We just want better for you. Here--" She turned to her own rack, pulling a soft knit sweater dress off. "--take this, honey. Wear those boots of yours and kill it tonight. Even if you get with your usuals, it's easy access and thigh highs are _always_ a good look."

He sighed, taking the dress. Black, so most fluids won't show, and it  _ would _ match those boots he never got a chance to wear.

"what the hell, i hardly ever dress up. fine."

* * *

"so how long are you planning on leaving yer little  _ companion  _ to flounder?"

Boss ignored his brother, taking a sip of his cognac as he watched the bar from their private room. The windows were really two way glass, the better to watch over their operations with, and he supposed this is where he'd first laid eyelights on Rus.

He didn't frequently watch Muffet's employees very hard, except to make sure they weren't sneaking off with the wrong gentleman. Usually he all but ignores these windows, or takes his drink in his office or penthouse and leaves the voyeurism to Red. He does remember Rus, though, mainly because he was another skeleton, a rare breed even among monsters. He remembers wondering idly where he'd come from, if he was a customer--only to watch him don those gold bracelets and then he understood.

He hadn't paid too much attention between then and now, but Red must have seen something before Boss even had an inkling of an attraction, because he was already vetting him thoroughly by the time Boss decided he wanted to get back on the horse.

"c'mon, boss, use yer eyes. he's starting to get discouraged."

At that he did refocus, scanning to find Rus where he was sitting with his head in his hands at the bar. He looked like hell on wheels, delicious in that black sweater dress with the dip in the back, those tall boots…

He used to be flippant with his choice in companions, before the incident, so he understands that by reputation Rus might think last night was only a one time thing. And in reality it wasn't meant to be terribly often, but it became starkly clear to Boss last night that money was absolutely essential for Rus, and also that the idea of anyone else's hands on Rus' body made him irrationally upset.

So maybe he had purposefully made sure those new clothes smelled like him. Perhaps he had done so in the hopes he would still smell like him when he got to the bar tonight, and that anyone with sense would recognize it and leave Rus the hell alone. Which was going swimmingly, except for the fact that he could almost  _ feel  _ Rus' panic when all his best tricks stopped working, when none of his regulars would go with him, when no fish were biting.

"What is it that he so desperately needs money for?" Boss asked, quiet, contemplative, but he expected an answer and his brother's chuckle and silence meant he wasn't getting it.

"maybe spend a few more nights 'talking' and he'll tell ya," Red mused, the shuffle of a newspaper indicating he was likely hiding a huge smug smirk behind it.

"I hate you sometimes," Boss sighed, setting his glass down with a thud.

"for someone who likes puzzles, you're remarkably picky when it comes to which ones i hand ya."

"Shut up."

"go get yer ass, bro, before you an' him both blow a gasket."

So that's that. If he wants to keep hands off of Rus that aren't his, he's just going to have to buy all of Rus' time. He thought maybe his generous tip would have kept him away a while, that he could keep doing just that, but whatever he is paying for must be consistent and expensive for him to be back the very same day.

It isn't like he doesn't have the money to spare, but it does change the narrative, doesn't it? It goes from the occasional companion who likely knows nothing to a constant liability in the eyes of their enemies.

"do ya want 'im or not? tick tock, little brother. make a decision."

Boss sucked in a breath and held it, his eyelights burning into the cat monster currently touching Rus' knee. Rus leaned in, all charm and sensuality, and Boss' LV rolled in his chest.

"If I do this, the story changes," Boss grunted. "If this is what I choose, he'll be--"

"a very pretty sugar baby," Red interrupted, turning the page. "an' a liability, i get it. but do you want him?"

"...Yes."

"kay, so what's stoppin' ya?"

"I don't want him to  _ have _ to say yes," Boss explained. "I want him to  _ choose _ me."

"so give 'im a choice. he chooses out there, you remove yer shadow and he'll get customers again. he chooses you, he only ever needs you. if i were him i know which i'd pick."

Boss sighed. Well, he doesn't need to extend the invitation yet. He can start by just calling him nightly and make an offer later, when he's had more chance to get to know him and that way Rus will know he isn't just trying to buy him out as a power move.

...when did he take the turn from wanting a paid companion to wanting a relationship? Is a relationship even what he wants?

A mystery he isn't sure he wants the answer to.

* * *

Rus sighed, hailing Muffet for a refill on his drink. Nothing but busts all night, was it the dress? He thought it would help but maybe he'd been right to protest, maybe his "type" don't want him to look good? The cat monster who was chatting him up a moment ago skittered away once he got into kissing distance, and he'd been sure he had that one in the bag.

Not good. He can't have nights like this if he's gonna pay for Blue's treatments. Luckily he can cut himself a little slack, with all the extra Boss gave him last night he didn't really  _ need  _ a stellar night tonight to make ends meet. Kinda sad, though, that he could've stayed home and painted some more.

Maybe he should do that, go home? But he doesn't want to send the message that he's unavailable either. The night is young yet, and he had some regulars on the schedule for midnight or so…

...why is everything so quiet?

He looked up curiously from his spot at the bar, looking over the silent patrons who all looked at each other nervously.

Until he met a pair of wild red eyelights, the ones he hadn't been able to forget since last night, the Big Boss himself as he leaned against the doorway.

Was he here to pick someone? He never comes down, people always just go to him, or so Rus had thought. Maybe he was just sending a message, a message that he was back in the swing of things after Rus, that he'd have his pick again?

"Come here."

Rus startled at the words, realizing all-too-late that Boss was beckoning at him. He looked around, but no, he had to be looking at him, there was nobody else near him.

"Don't make me ask twice."

Okay. Yep, that's enough to get his feet moving. He slid off the stool, abandoning his drink, overly aware of all the eyes on him. As he neared, people began to relax, uneasy whispers beginning as they realized he wasn't here for one of them.

"you called?" He asked, polite as he could muster through his confusion.

"Do you have plans tonight?" Boss asked, crimson eyelights burning into him and sending a tingle down his back.

"that depends," he managed.

"Depends?" Boss chuckled, amused. "Depends on what?"

"on if you're inviting me up or not," Rus purred, surprising himself with his own brazen words. "...mister stallion."

A huffed laugh, a win in Rus' book, and Boss leaned in very close. "If I said I was, would you clear your schedule for me?"

"always," Rus promised, his voice a practiced purr as he stepped closer, running a hand down Boss' tie.

"Then you'd better get in the elevator," Boss ordered him, and Rus felt a tingle of excitement as Boss stepped back. "Now, please."

Oh, hell to the yes, another night of pampering and seduction? He wasn't about to stop and ask questions, Gods no, he just did as he was told, trailed by the man himself into the elevator. The dings of his phone in the pocket of the dress proved that Muffet was already on canceling this evening's appointments. It might make it harder to pick up clients on other nights, but if there was a chance he could  _ actually  _ be Boss' favorite, and get paid the way he did last night, Blue and him might not have any debt when he finally gets better!

Not to mention that if last night was anything to go by, he was about to enjoy himself very much indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boss is starting to obsess but the logical side of him doesn't want that obsession to rule his head. Rus is blissfully ignorant of just how much Boss wants him.


	5. *Synergy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boss and Rus enjoy their third evening in a row together, and Boss is starting to put the pieces together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm ha in a lot of fun writing this one! I have quite a few ideas I need to organize and test out, and this chapter gave me some difficulties. I hope it reads well to you!
> 
> Warnings: smut and small mentions of gang life
> 
> Smut: p in v, prostitution, missionary

Boss didn't keep his hands to himself for very long, how could he? That dress was almost like a deliberate beckoning, and Rus didn't seem to mind at all when he pressed him against the wall of the elevator, hiking his femurs up.

"Is this alright?" Boss asked, his gloved fingertips grazing the side of Rus' face lightly as Rus wrapped his legs around him.

"fuck, yeah," Rus sighed, tilting his head to give him more space to touch, and he did just that, leaning in to nuzzle into his neck.

His own cologne was there, and underneath that scent was a sweetness that was starting to grow familiar, almost intoxicating, and he allowed himself a taste as Rus tried to pull his dress out of the way. He didn't need much encouragement, pushing Rus' dress up around his hips and soon he was pressing his fingers into that waiting magic, no panties to block him (filthy little minx, he likes that).

"So wet and ready," Boss hummed, voice a near-growl, and he felt Rus shudder pleasantly at it. "With hardly any foreplay."

"no foreplay?" Rus chuckled, gripping his shirt. "then what do you call what you just did down in the bar? am i supposed to not get turned on when you do something hot like that?"

"You liked that, did you?" Boss hummed, and oh, he liked that Rus liked that, liked that Rus was turned on by his display of interest. The elevator dinged and Boss set him down, pulling him into the penthouse. "I'm bad for your business, you realize. People might shy away for a while."

"i thought that might be it," Rus sighed, before looking up at him through hooded sockets. "guess i'll have to count on you being horny for me, then, huh?"

"Mission accomplished," Boss chuckled. "You're a mystery I'm dying to solve."

"well, better play my cards close to my chest, then, lest you get bored of me."

"From what I've seen, boring is not the word I would use to describe you in _any_ capacity."

Oh, Gods, the _blush_ . That was more than the flushed tones he'd seen until now, he'd actually flustered him, and Boss felt pride swelling in his chest at the accomplishment. He was so _cute_ and _soft_ , everything Boss is not and smart to boot, a shame Boss had to pay for his company but then again, he never would have met him if he didn't do this.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, gently tugging his skirt back into place. "Thirsty?"

"could say that, if you mean thirsty for you."

"You only want me for my body," Boss scolded lightly.

Rus' sockets widened, and then suddenly he was laughing, sincerely laughing and covering his face, wheezing practically and if that didn't feel about ten times as good as making him blush--

He tried to stifle his laughter, apologizing. "haha, oh fuck, _haaa,_ that's hilarious, gods, the goddamn irony--"

He practically curled into him as he laughed, and Boss chuckled as well, brushing his hand down Rus' bare back to pull him in by the waist. "I'm glad you find me funny."

Glad he isn't scared of him, really. Most people would be far too concerned for their safety to laugh properly at a joke, and while Red seemed to enjoy that kind of nervous laughter, Boss hated it. As such he'd stopped trying to be funny over the years, tired of hearing nervous fake laughter, and he'd earned himself a reputation for being very straight-faced and humorless.

It's been years since anyone but his brother laughed at one of his jokes.

"Your laugh is beautiful," he said softly. "So pure. It could cure cancer."

Rus stopped, his smile falling as he looked away.

"heh...nice of you to say, but, i've tried and, no dice," Rus said cryptically. "glad you like my laugh, though, i usually hate it because i do this dumb snort--"

And the verbal diarrhea began, and Boss realized very quickly that his goal was to talk until they forgot the beginning of the conversation. He let it happen, let the moment slip away, but he filed that away--cancer, it seems, is a touchy subject. He didn't bring it up again, allowed Rus to turn the conversation around, offered new subjects. 

He tried to convince Rus to eat or drink something. He seemed reluctant, maybe still under the impression that he wasn't allowed to sit back and just talk, or eat on the clock. Eventually he relented, allowing him to order dinner for him, and they took it by the windows.

Rus grew quiet, then, and even in his quiet he was gorgeous, looking out over the city with a contemplative look.

"Do you see it differently?" Boss asked, coming up behind him where he stood. "The city? The world? They say artists don't see what others do. More colors, different shapes, that sort of thing."

Rus hummed, and Boss almost expected him not to answer, maybe to brush it off like he had last night.

Instead, he actually got an answer.

"it's not exactly seeing it _different_ ," Rus explained, touching the glass lightly. "it's more like...i see it _deeper_. i see the city, but i also see the energy beneath it. the buildings, they could be transparent and it would look the same to me. i can tell if a building is occupied, it's almost like it...pulses."

"Like a heartbeat?" Boss supplied, and Rus' face changed minutely, just slightly, and oh, this, this is the artist that's been hiding away all this time, his fingertips tapping lightly against the glass in a rhythm.

"...close," he said finally, leaning back against him and Boss trailed a finger up his arm to meet his jaw, coaxing him to turn and look up at him.

"You seem to see _me_ differently," he pointed out. "Is that your artist's eye?"

"you could call it that," Rus said, turning toward him and sliding Boss' tie between his hands to pull him down. 

"And what do you see in me?" Boss touched his cheekbone, brushed over the freckles slowly, startlingly aware of how dangerous this moment could be. "my energy? my soul, maybe?"

He didn't add money. Didn't want it to be an option. Even though he knows that falling for someone who sells their love is stupid, he can't stop it, he can't guarantee the right words right now won't whisk his stupid, foolish heart away.

Thankfully, or maybe disappointingly, Rus said nothing. Instead he closed the distance, kissed him so softly that it felt real, and pushed just enough to get him to move. It was a hint he didn't mind taking, and he pulled Rus up and into his arms, his hands sliding up the skirt of the dress as he carried him to the bedroom.

They tumbled to the bed in a tangle of limbs, and Boss wasted no time kissing his way down his body, tasting honey on his tongue briefly before pulling away to loose his magic, and Rus was already arching to him in anticipation, his dress falling down his shoulders and bunching at his waist, a perfect disaster looking up at him with soft eyelights.

He leaned down to kiss him, yes, he likes this, he wants it, he maybe sort of needs it--

Rus is very, _very_ good at his job. He knows what Boss wants almost before Boss does and Boss is usually very neat and tidy but everything about the way he's looking at him and moving makes him want to make a mess. 

"there," Rus gasped suddenly, taking up a fistful of Boss' silk shirt, and Boss doubled down on the angle, slowing down to make sure he wasn't hurting him. Though from last night's gymnastics, he knows Rus is plenty bendy and can take a lot more than his HP might suggest. "ooohhh, fuck, fuck, fuck meee--"

"I am," Boss sniped before he could stop himself, and it earned a laugh, sharp and quick, and a kiss, slower and more desperate as he felt him shudder and tense, the smell of honey thick in the air as he came.

Boss could have lasted longer, most likely. He could do it more times, for sure. But tiring Rus out was not the move he wanted to make tonight, not if he wanted to get to know him better, and the look of him enjoying his pure ecstasy in his arms was encouragement enough to cum himself with a grunt.

It was a bit of a blur, how that then led to more kissing. It wasn't entirely clear how he had wound up shedding all of his clothes and Rus his dress _after_ the sex, or how they had ended up doing that kissing in the shower, of all places, but he wasn't exactly complaining about Rus' naked form, not at all. And lucky for him Rus had no complaints either, often pulling him desperately back in whenever the kiss faltered.

He almost asked him to be his right there. Almost.

* * *

Rus woke with the morning sun this time, groggy and confused by the softness beneath him, the sturdy arm around his waist.

It came back all at once--getting invited by Boss again, laughing, talking about how he sees the world, Boss asking how he sees him...the sex, the shower, the way they talked about everything until they finally fell asleep. He remembers talking about the subway, which Boss has never taken but Rus takes near-daily, and the sandwich shop they have both been to…

He chanced a glance behind him.

Boss was curled around him protectively, his face a resting scowl but somehow still relaxed. Sleeping until morning was one thing, but he was surprised to find Boss in the bed with him. It's clear he does things differently, he made that known the first night when he'd laid out exactly what he wanted from him.

A companion.

Rus wiggled enough to face him, allowing Boss to pull him closer sleepily, and his fingertips began to trace the visible scars on Boss' body, gently so as not to wake him. All this talking and yet, he hardly knows anything about Boss' job. He knows he's a mobster, knows he's got a gun, got men with guns, got illegal operations left and right. He probably gets these scars from fights where only he makes it out, probably has some dust on his hands.

Is it foolish to hope to be his favorite? Might that bring danger his way? He doesn't even know what kinds of dangers Boss has his hands in out there, no idea what he's getting into.

Then again, he hasn't told Boss anything personal yet, either. Boss doesn't know about Blue, about Rus' life at all. He doesn't know that he and Blue have been alone since Rus was 16, that somehow he fumbled his way through art school on a scholarship, that he had never had the time between school and raising his brother to think about love or sex.

And even so, even without Boss' pity and with Boss' dangers, he _did_ see him differently. Others would shirk away in fear or be uneasy, but when Rus looks at him he sees gold. Not gold as in money, but gold in his bearing, in his soul. His integrity and charm, hidden so well under layers of red, red, and red...he wants people to think he's red, that he is anger and power, but really he is compassion and hope, justice at his very core.

"Careful with that one," Boss mumbled, making Rus jump slightly, pulling his hand away from where he'd been lightly touching the crack over his socket. He opened his sockets, deep red peering out at him in sleepy curiosity. "You don't have to stop, just be careful. That one is sharper than the others."

Rus withdrew his hand anyway, a little embarrassed. "...i didn't mean to wake you."

Boss dragged himself up a little, propping up on his elbow and leaning over him a bit. "I'm a light sleeper by requirement. I wasn't quite asleep anyway."

"you could have said something."

"But then you would have stopped and I wanted you to keep touching me," he hummed, a small smirk forming on his face. "Are you up? Have you got somewhere to be?"

He really should go, it was late enough morning that he needed to go shower and dress and head to the hospital.

"depends."

Boss chuckled. "Depends on what?"

"on if _you_ have somewhere to be or not," he replied, pressing closer to him. The sheets were a thin barrier between them, and though his magic stirred sleepily it felt like more than arousal. "and if it's alright i hang out a little longer. with you. no tip needed."

"A shame, I had a tip I wanted to give you," he joked, and Rus snorted, oh, who could have guessed that the Big Bad Boss had a funnybone? He'd heard the opposite really. "I don't have any meetings until noon, though I'm usually up and about before then. Take breakfast with me, and come back tonight?"

"come back?" Rus asked, disbelieving. "four nights in a row?"

"If that isn't too much…?" Boss trailed off, raising a brow at him and Rus chuckled.

"no, not too much, uh, i'm just...surprised. you seem to really like me."

"What's not to like?" Boss asked, tracing a fingertip over his shoulder to his hand. "Smart, beautiful, good in bed. You can hold a conversation better than half of the richest people I've met. Not to mention, you are an outstanding painter."

"...okay," Rus mumbled, ducking his head as he blushed. "i'll, uh, i'll come back tonight."

"Lovely. I look forward to it," Boss hummed, leaning down to steal a kiss and Rus' spine tingled with desire as he kissed him back and counted his lucky stars that he wanted more.

He hopes this euphoria lasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Be sure to leave a comment (:


	6. Business Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus keeps getting called back and he's waiting for the shoe to drop. Spoiler alert: it won't, because Boss still wants him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna try to aim for maybe 10 chapters but we all know how my writing is nowadays! I have a loose idea for how I want this to end and scenes I want to see happen so, there's at least a bit to go off of.
> 
> Warnings: hospitals, cancer, radiation/chemo mention, consent discussion/character not knowing enough about what they can say no to

Rus had been a prostitute for a little over a year. He'd seen clients of all sorts, serviced every kind of dick and even the occasional pussy or cloaca. He'd heard every line in the book, he'd heard all the promises, he'd experienced every disappointment and surprise, and what he hadn't experienced firsthand he had devoured the stories from the other girls to prepare himself.

But he supposed nothing could prepare him for the way that Boss praised him. None of his experience made him think that the kind of things he said could feel anything but filthy and demeaning. Clients try, usually, to dirty talk, they try to say things that sound hot in porn but in reality don't make sense in person. "Do you like that thick cock?" was a fan favorite that had Rus biting his tongue most nights.

But coming from Boss, it was different. He muttered it into his audial canal, his voice low and sensual and he didn't even expect an answer. He just continued on, telling Rus he was good, that he was beautiful like this and he was lovely and perfect and…

Rus was always a sucker for verbal praise, but hearing it in bed was something different, and Boss was all-too-aware of the way he shuddered and melted every time. Rus could hardly believe this was his life, every night in the penthouse listening to this man praise him for being perfect, something he could never dream to be.

It was the sixth, or maybe the seventh night together, when Rus began to believe it was too good to be true. They weren't even in bed yet, they were only talking by the window, Rus memorizing the view again to add to his painting later.

"You're so lovely looking out over the city. I only wish I knew what was happening in your head."

It was a sincere compliment, and it did make him blush and look down at his drink. "you don't have to pretend i'm fantastic. i'm not the one paying you."

Boss made a huffed noise that might have been a laugh. "I ask for insight into your mind, I get what I ask for, I suppose. You  _ are _ fantastic, I'm not pretending."

Rus chuckled, taking a sip and blushing even harder. "now, if only i believed it, that would be a real trick."

"I suppose I'll have to repeat it until you do," Boss offered, and Rus turned to catch the kiss he then offered, leaning into him.

"...you're too good to me," Rus sighed, running his hand down Boss' tie. "don't you ever just wanna use me? go rough? treat me like what i am?"

"I quite enjoy worshipping you," Boss muttered. "But if rough is what you'd like, then you only need to ask."

"that's beyond the point," Rus chuckled. "i'm saying i'm the paid one, i don't really get a say in what you wanna do to me."

"Of course you do," Boss scoffed, leaning back to look him firmly in the eye. "Accepting my money is not free consent to everything. You can say no any time, to anything I suggest, that is how consent works. Even people paid to have sex have the right to consent. Is this not drilled into everyone's heads down there?"

"i think, uh, i remember hearing it? an' muff fucks up clients who don't listen to a girl's limits." Rus shrugged. "dunno, guess it never really occurred to me? she already doesn't let me take clients with a violent streak because of my HP so i've never had to be worried about it...come to think of it, she must trust you a lot."

"We go way back, she knows I would never hurt someone like you."

Ah, okay, that might have stung a lot more than it should have. Someone like him, right, like a whore, a paid companion. He turned back to his drink, something fruity he'd tried tonight.

"anyway, i'm able to say no, sure, but m'not the one makes demands, is my point."

"But do you want me to be rougher with you?" Boss asked, covering his drink so he would set it down.

"...i don't know?" Rus said honestly, shrugging. "i guess i...expected it? a bit? after all the clients i've seen, you know, the stuff i've done, the things i hear about you and your brother, you know? i thought you'd be scarier. but you're not."

"I'm plenty scary, when I want to be," Boss chuckled as he sipped his cognac. "You, my dear, are not the kind of person I need to scare. I thought it was rather obvious that you hadn't often felt a kind touch so that's what I've been trying to provide, but if you feel safe enough to have me be a little rougher, I can do that."

"you can be rougher, if you want," Rus pressed, looking up at him with a smirk. "as long as there's no intent to hurt me, you can do anything."

Boss hummed, leaning in and resting his elbow on the table so he was hovering right over him. "Are you saying that for my sake? There's no way to truly tell, is there? I'd love to get a little more handsy in bed but until you can tell me exactly what you want and what your limits are, honey, I can't safely try anything. So you think about what I said and when you know what you want, you can meet me in the bedroom."

With that, he kissed Rus so deeply it made his head spin, then stood and downed his drink before heading back to the bedroom with a winning grin.

As he disappeared behind the doors, Rus huffed and set his drink down.

He usually prides himself on being able to read as if he's into everything his client wants, it's one of his best features. But Boss has him beat with this game of "only if you want it", and damn it all he might just want it.

* * *

It was two weeks since he'd first been called to the penthouse, and Rus was caught up on all the bills at the hospital. It felt good to hear the lady say he had no outstanding balance, and he'd gotten to celebrate with his brother a little, even. Sure, next week was the next billing cycle and another 10 grand to pay, but for the next week he was debt free.

"they say this radiation is working better than the last," Rus hummed, lounging in the comfy chair the nurses had brought him, seeing as he often spends his days visiting with Blue. "what do you think?"

Blue laughed tiredly, sinking into his pillows. "I feel like ground beef and everything tastes like chalk. But the spurs are getting smaller! They're hoping for remission, but, bone cancer is hard to cure."

"well, we're monsters, so that has to count for something," Rus chuckled, reaching over to touch his brother's hand. Blue gingerly held it, a small smile on his face. "you and me against the world, right? anything's possible."

"I know you're on the case, Papy," Blue hummed, his sockets drooping. "I'm just sorry all your money has to go to this instead of getting the studio you wanted."

"nah, it's fine. got a wealthy benefactor now, he loves my work, keeps ordering more."

"I'll have to meet him sometime," Blue yawned, his skull lolling to the side. "Tell him thank you for me?"

"yeah, okay," Rus said quietly, squeezing his hand gently before releasing him. He kissed the top of his skull affectionately. "get your sleep, little brother."

He was winding through the halls of the hospital when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Curious, he pulled it out, an unrecognized number on the screen.

"...hello?"

_ "Hello, Rus." _

He stopped, a shiver running down his spine at the voice that had become oh-so-familiar as of late.

"...hey," he managed, looking around.

_ "I sincerely apologize for calling out of the blue, and for pilfering your personal number from Muffet. I understand if you want me not to call again," _ Boss said on the other end.

"no, uh, it's okay," Rus insisted, leaning against a wall. "it's okay if it's you."

_ "Thank you, that's kind of you to say. The reason I'm calling, actually, is that my brother tells me I have been hogging the penthouse and he wants it back. After a very heated game of rock paper scissors I have come to accept that I will not be able to meet you at the penthouse tonight, regrettably." _

Rus snorted, imagining the two big bad mob bosses doing ro sham bo over the sex shack, and even though it was probably a joke to lighten the blow that he wasn't inviting him, it still made him laugh.

"that's too bad," Rus said, attempting to stay neutral as he toed at a cracked tile on the floor.

It was hard, even though he'd been preparing for this day since they had started this, it still hurt to hear that he wasn't needed tonight. It was probably the first of many excuses, and he should have guessed that it was too good to last. He's lucky it lasted this long to start with.

_ "Yes, I could tell you were gaining some kind of inspiration from the view and I hate to take that away from you,"  _ Boss sighed, his voice carrying an air of annoyance likely aimed at his brother.  _ "Unfortunately my home doesn't have such a view of the city, but I hope it will suit you anyhow. That is, if you are comfortable making a house call?" _

It took a moment for that invitation to properly hit Rus. A house call, as in, just because they can't have the penthouse doesn't mean he's done with Rus. "i...you want me to come to your house? is, is that okay, that i know where you live?"

_ "There is that. If you accept this offer, you may become a target. Unfortunately it is possible you already are, due to my repeated interest, and for that I apologize. It is up to you if you'd like to continue and meet me." _

Rus peered around to the window a few feet down the wall, walking over and looking down over the busy street below.

He could accept, possibly making himself a target. Then again, it's likely he's already a target, as Boss said. In that case, it might be better to lean in--Boss will protect him, he's sure, and it's better money, company, and sex than going back to his previous packed schedule.

And it would be less embarrassing to bring the finally-finished painting to his home instead of the office at the hotel, that's for sure.

"i trust you to protect me," he said finally. "how do i get there?"

_ "I'll send a car to pick you up at 10. Just use my number to text me where you want to be picked up--just because you will know where I live doesn't mean you have to tell me where you do." _

"c'mon, you totally already know where i live," Rus chuckled, and he got a sensible laugh in return.

_ "Perhaps I do. I will see you tonight." _

Oh, oof, that has Rus grinning. His little messages in the app when he reserves him each evening are nice, but hearing it from him like that? It was exciting.

Almost romantic.

...almost.

"tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I tag a lot and usually it isn't as big a deal as I think it is haha  
> Let me know what you think! How's Boss going to react to the painting and what do you think his house call will go?


	7. *A Proper Appraisal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus does a house call, and gets to see Boss' house for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments thus far! I voraciously devour every single one even if I don't always answer, thank you so much for interacting 🥰
> 
> Warnings: internalized classism, self-consciousness, black market art trade
> 
> Smut: sex in water, p in v, prostitution, soul stuff mention, making love/feelings

The car ride to Boss' estate was longer than expected, but then Rus recognized that his neighborhood wasn't exactly a high roller area. The city passed by, still thumping with light and life, and the tall buildings gave way to rows of houses, gated communities, and eventually they stopped in front of a huge iron gate.

The gate opened for them like the maw of a dragon, and Rus admired the handiwork as they passed through. A lovely garden was a nice surprise, but he couldn't quite see it in the evening light. He was ushered in through a set of massive double doors, and nothing could have prepared him to feel so small inside such a large, open room.

Who has giant double staircases like that anymore? It looks a bit like it might be haunted, but what really caught his eye was the sheer amount of art, statues and paintings on the walls and even tapestries. High quality stuff, things Rus had only seen in his textbooks, and in the central focal point, just above the first landing where the stairs split in two, was a painting he knows he needs a closer look at--

"Good to see you've made it in one piece."

He paused in his attempt to get closer, spinning to see Boss at the next landing. "uh, yeah, was easy when i had a driver."

"Did you want to take a closer look at that piece?" Boss offered, gesturing to the painting. He nodded, no point in hiding his excitement, and turned back to it. "Paid a pretty penny for it. Do you think it was worth it?"

Rus hummed and looked closer, and Boss watched his analysis with a little smirk. He had thought that maybe this would draw Rus' attention--not many people have a famous art piece hanging in their foyer.

"that depends," Rus said finally, leaning back and looking at him. "on how much you value edward hopper's works. they discovered that a few of his pieces were copies of other pieces, so it's pretty hot for debate in the art world now. museums, at least, seem to still like him but there's a lot of blowback these days about copying. even though it's literally required for mastery in most art schools."

"And what do you think?" Boss asked, gesturing to the painting. The ships at sea, stuck forever in their stormy waves, stared back at him. "I want your opinion."

"...well, honestly, i don't think it matters that he copied. art students have been copying the mona lisa for centuries, and even when placed beside the picture he copied for  _ ships _ , it must have taken a great amount of skill to make what he made." Rus looked back at the painting, humming as he leaned closer again. "...i wanna say this is real, but m'pretty sure the real one is in the whitney museum of american art."

"Or, perhaps, they have a very elaborate fake," Boss offered, chuckling at Rus' expression. "I got a stellar deal on it, then, by your expression."

"i...you…! you have just, priceless art?? on your wall." Rus flapped his hands at the art, exasperated.

"I do."

"well...that belongs in a museum," Rus pointed out. "it's not fair."

"Are you telling me I should donate it?" Boss asked, stepping down a few more steps.

Rus looked back at the painting, hesitant...and then back at him. "yeah, that's what i'm saying."

"My wall would be fairly naked, then," Boss sighed, exaggerated. "Too bad I don't know of an artist who might want to fix that."

"well, you're in luck," Rus mumbled, grabbing a large black bag of some sort that he had leaned against the wall. He pulled a large canvas out of it, and Boss blinked, confused, he hadn't actually meant that Rus had to paint him anything. "m'no edward hopper but, i made this for you. as a thank you...for...you know. helping me pay my debts and...being so nice...and stuff…"

He held it out to him, trailing off into mumbles, and Boss took it from him gingerly, pulling the muslin shroud protecting the paint away to reveal a beautiful cityscape, one he recognized almost instantly as Ebbott skyline as viewed from the penthouse. Small wonder he'd stared out the windows so much, he'd been making  _ this _ at the time, and it was  _ beautiful _ .

"it's, uh, it's not the same. as  _ wilting roses _ . the uh, other piece of mine you have? so, i dunno if you'll like it but, the style is my own, kind of a modern impressionistic piece? it's different, and i realize you probably liked the other for a reason so you might not--"

"Hush," Boss commanded, and Rus fell silent as he held the painting up in a better light. "...it's  _ beautiful _ . I see what you meant about how you see the city, Rus, this is incredible. I can really have this?"

Rus looked at his feet, blushing as he laughed nervously. "i mean, i never would have made it if you hadn't shown me the view. i made it for you."

Boss handed it back to him gently, turning to the Edward Hopper piece and carefully lifting it from it's tacks. With a snap, a dog was there to take it. 

"Take this to the storage room,  _ carefully _ , and mark it for donation. If you drop it I will literally kill you." Tiberius nodded, holding it out as he descended the stairs slowly, and Boss took the new one and hung it in it's place. "There. Perfect."

Rus was looking around the room at the other art, seemingly nervous. "...are you sure? like, right there? the main focal point of a room full of amazing art? instead of an  _ actual _ edward hopper?"

"Absolutely."

"but...it isn't big enough," Rus sputtered.

"Then make a bigger one, or find a frame you like. Otherwise this isn't moving," Boss insisted. "Thank you, Rus, I...it's beautiful. I have no words."

He loves the way that makes Rus blush, and look away, that little laugh of disbelief. Somehow he doesn't value his own work but Boss does, and he'll make sure that he hears it daily if that's what he needs.

"well, it's uh, acrylic. so, nothing special needed to take care of it, really," he mumbled, shifting nervously. "if I'd known you'd like it so much i might've done oil or framed it or--"

Boss stepped quickly to him, cutting him off by gently tipping his head up to steal a kiss. "It's perfect."

A shiver, so slight, ran down Rus' frame and Boss took advantage of it to pull him in for another kiss, and Rus' grateful Intent, his unspoken consent and desires felt so good, so sweet and just as lovely as the art.

Boss hummed as he pulled away, reaching down to gather Rus' hands to kiss the palms softly.

"...Now, then. Would you like a tour?" Boss asked, locking eyes with his dumbstruck companion.

Rus nodded, and Boss pulled him along back down the stairs, squeezing his hand. He received a squeeze in return as Rus hurried to follow, falling into step beside him and keeping his hand in his.

It took a great deal of effort for Boss not to get excited about that. They've had sex many times, dammit, he doesn't need to get excited about holding hands.

But he was.

* * *

The downstairs, from what Rus could see, was mostly unused. Two pristine guest rooms, a huge kitchen, a dining room with a large table and a crystal chandelier, a sitting room with bookshelves wall to wall…

"This is the mud room, at least that's what the Floorplan calls it. An abhorrent name for such a nice space," Boss commented, flicking on the lights.

The Mud Room definitely did not deserve such a name, Rus agreed, with the huge glass half-dome separating them from outside he could see the stars from where he stood. The room was decorated with wicker furniture and soft-looking pillows, like something right out of Better Homes and Gardens, but the really interesting part was the curious, slightly raised slats in the wood.

"Ah, you've found the hot tub," Boss said, noticing him toeing the funny lines.

"the  _ hot tub? _ " Rus asked, dubious at best. 

Boss pulled him away from the lines, and pressed a button on a panel in the wall. To Rus' amazement, the wood cracked along the lines, descending down, down, tucking to the side and filling with water until a hidden hot tub did indeed appear, raising itself up slightly as the jets began to gurgle.

"...that's awesome," Rus breathed, earning a chuckle from Boss.

"At least somebody likes it. Red had it installed back when we used to live together, without asking me I might add. I've never had reason to use it, so it has never really meant anything to me." Boss looked at him with a raised brow. "Would you like to test it out?"

"i...can i?" Rus asked, trying to mask his excitement. Boss nodded, and he grinned. "okay, okay. so just like...take my clothes off, i guess--"

He pulled his sweater over his head, looking around. Boss helpfully offered his hand and Rus gratefully gave him the sweater, then his tank top, his khakis, and then he was naked--not unusual for them but it still made him duck his head to blush as Boss looked over him, unflinching, with that smirk.

The water was warm and Rus sunk into it gratefully, sighing as the warmth washed over his bones. What he wouldn't give to have a sneaky hot tub like this! He wonders if Boss is aware of exactly how awesome his lifestyle is or if he's always been rich.

Speaking of Boss…

"coming in or what?" Rus hummed, crossing his arms and resting them on the edge of the hot tub.

Boss seemed surprised to be invited, stalling a moment from where he was placing Rus' clothes in a neat pile. "...Me?"

"yeah, you, who else am i talkin' to? tiberius?" Rus teased, flicking some water at him. "you don't wanna be naked in a hot tub with me?"

"Well, when you put it that way, how could I possibly resist?" Boss chuckled, lining Rus' shoes up by the table he had set the clothes on. "Fine, I'll come in. Give me a minute."

Rus hummed, resting his chin on his arms as he watched Boss fiddle with the clasp on his watch. The silky shirt came off first, sliding down Boss' back to reveal his scars and cracks, rib bones thicker than Rus' spine, which was tingling with anticipation as he slid out of his absurdly expensive slacks. Everything got folded neatly next to his own clothes, and the water sloshed again as Boss joined him in the hot tub.

"Satisfied?" Boss rumbled, splashing him as he took a seat.

Rus was quick to take his own seat, though it was less polite than Boss'. He floated over, sliding onto Boss' lap and running his hands over wet bone. "not yet, but m'sure we'll get there at some point tonight."

Boss settled his hands on Rus' hips, pulling him closer, and oh, yes, that was some good friction right there and he already wanted more, his magic sparking and settling heavily in his pelvis.

"I'm sure we'll get there a few times," Boss hummed, brushing a kiss over Rus' flushed cheekbone as he maneuvered him up long enough to form his cock. "Is this what you want? We haven't even finished the tour yet."

Rus was already straining to press against it, the tip barely teasing his folds as Boss held him still. The warm water felt good on his cunt, and it made him even more impatient than usual.

"we can finish the tour later?" Rus offered, looking up at him with pleading eyelights. "maybe end up in your bedroom?"

He cried out as Boss encouraged him down, his sinfully thick cock stretching him pleasantly and this, this is the life, this is what he wants. He wished it was real, all of it, wished it wasn't just a job, or maybe he wished Boss wasn't so good at pretending because then he wouldn't feel so bitterly mournful about it.

A whore is a whore no matter how Boss says it, Rus learned that lesson already. He's had a few spendy guests, not on the same level as Boss but definitely charming, definitely generous. Governors, mayors, other political and social figurehead looking for a little side fun--they never wanted more, though.

Boss, especially, he can't imagine he would actually want him outside of this. Even with everything he's done for him, Boss is so clearly a cut above him. This hose, his nice clothes, there's nothing in the fairy tales that says the boy in the hoodie gets the glamorous businessman.

But damn, it was nice to imagine it with Boss. It was nice to imagine those praises, the silk sheets, the waking up in the morning beside him...the gold bracelets hung up for good, maybe a ring instead, those were fantasies Rus would indulge in even though he knows they won't happen.

He groans as Boss hits the perfect spot inside him, and oh, the way he adjusts to make sure he hits it again, the way he runs his tongue and teeth over Rus' delicate bones, as if sampling him, taking a taste.

"Do you like that?" He growled, and Rus nodded, scrabbling for a better grip as he tried to pick up the pace, tried to-- "Oh! You...really do like that."

There was confusing stillness suddenly, and Rus made a noise of discontent, opening his eyes to see what the fuss was--

Oh. Oh,  _ ohhh… _

_ Fuck. _

His soul had manifested, dripping translucent honey-gold magic behind his ribs, bathing them both in a soft orange light.

Rus immediately slid his arms across his chest, flushing furiously because oh, Gods, that! Was so out of line! One doesn't do this unless they want their partner to touch it, and one doesn't let  _ anyone _ touch it that they don't intend to be very, very serious with. Especially Rus, with his low HP, had always been careful not to get too excited this way.

Especially,  _ especially  _ now, here, with  _ Boss _ , this was...extremely inappropriate. Borderline manipulative, to do this with rich clients, it's the kind of thing a lot of monster whores get accused of when wives find out, and he could feel angry tears threatening as he imagined getting kicked out on his tailbone for daring to think that someone like him would  _ ever  _ accept this sort of suggestion. 

"i, i'm so sorry, i don't, i didn't do it on purpose," Rus blurted, trying to stifle the light, dismiss it, but nothing worked. "i--"

He was cut off by Boss pressing a heavy kiss to his mouth, full of the most amazingly strong Intent he had ever felt, a sense of amazement, wonder, and excitement washing over him as Boss flipped them around to take charge of the situation.

"For me?" Boss asked, soft, breathed against his teeth like a spell. "You feel that strongly for me? You want me, Rus?"

"i…" He trailed off, unsure how to answer, his head spinning.

"Tell me, tell me the truth," Boss huffed, one hand sliding up Rus' spine as if on its way to his soul. Not touching, even if he admitted it, it would be too soon to touch souls. "Please."

"yes," Rus said finally, arching beneath that touch and trying to gain some friction where Boss was still buried deep within him. "ah, fuck, yes! i do, i do, i want you, you're...kind, and you're generous, and you treat me so well and i just, i want it, i want more and i know it isn't my place and i know this is just a job but sometimes, sometimes it feels like more? like there could be, could be more…?"

"If you want more, Rus, then you have it," Boss reassured him, his voice low as he pulled back to look in his eyelights. "Just the thought of anyone else having you makes me sick, don't you see thats why I make sure I have you every night? Can't you tell that I want you to be mine? And I wanted to bring you here because if you saw I trusted you, that you might...I only thought, you know, that maybe you needed more  _ time _ , to get to know me, to...accept. Me."

There was silence for a moment as they stared at each other, and Boss broke it with a kiss, passionate and full of promises, and Rus returned it with desperation, easily twice as hot and heavy as they've ever been as Boss adjusted to toss his ankles above his shoulders, resuming the pace and doubling it, making Rus moan and oh, it was perfect, so perfect, and even if this was a dream Rus didn't give a shit.

They have a lot to discuss without the rose tinted glasses of sex. They would probably be up for hours tonight discussing this...this thing, whatever this is. He doesn't know what this is just yet, but as Boss came inside him with a grunt, fingers slipping over his clit to make sure he came, too, there was one thing that was for certain in their passion.

Boss was not a job, and Rus was not a whore. Whatever they were, they were together, and much stronger than they were this morning.

And that, like Rus' painting, was  _ beautiful _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys can forgive Boss his private collection ❤


	8. Terms and Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A discussion or two needs to happen during the transition from job to lovers, and while one talk in one night isn't quite enough, it's a start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you guys liked the last chapter! I was worried I got them together too fast but you know what, not everything needs to be slow burn dammit
> 
> Warnings: nightmares, internalized classism, discussion of power imbalance/sugar baby stuff, discussion of cancer and cancer symptoms

"What are you doing?"

"...hmm?"

"I can practically feel you staring at the ceiling," Boss mumbled, moving sleepily to pull Rus closer to him. "Can't you sleep?"

He enjoyed the feeling of Rus' slight body against his own, dressed in a pajama shirt that was silky and several times too big and oh, the memory of how he looked in Boss' shirt was coming back to his sleepy mind, poking at him. It had only been a few hours since the hot tub, since the first glance at that gorgeous honey-golden soul and it still made his own bones tingle pleasantly to think of.

"i'm tryna decide what m'gonna wish for next."

Okay, he'll bite.

Cracking open his sockets, he was graced with the sweet orange eyelights of his lover, his tiny freckles just barely visible in the low light.  _ Beautiful. _

"Wish for?" He hummed, leaning in to nuzzle him gently. "What do you mean by that?"

"i mean, every time i spend time with you, i unwittingly make a wish, and it comes true," Rus explained. "like, the first night, my truest wish was a shower and some rest."

"...And that is what you got. The next?"

"a tennessee iced tea."

"Of course, how could I forget?" Boss chuckled.

"the third night i was wishing i could...be your favorite," Rus admitted, his blush lighting up the space between them slightly. "when you invited me up again, i couldn't believe it. and other things, you know? little stuff. i would hope you would say something particular, and you would. i would sigh to myself about my overdue bills, and magically the next day i had enough to pay."

He looked up at him, and Boss hummed in contentment, gently petting Rus' side.

"and tonight, in the hot tub," Rus said quietly, fiddling with Boss' shirt buttons. "i was...fantasizing. pretending, hoping, wishing it was more than a job, that it was something real. that...came true. didn't it?"

"I have been trying to work up the courage to try and whisk you away since the night I beckoned you in the bar," Boss said honestly, kissing Rus' brow. "I just didn't have the words to ask. Didn't want you to think it was about sex, or power. I wanted you to know it was about me wanting you. I wanted you to choose me."

"bet your pretty little coccyx, i'm choosing you," Rus chuckled, snuggling in closer and finally closing his sockets. Boss pulled the blanket up higher, tucking Rus' head beneath his chin protectively.

"it's weird, though, right?" Rus asked, voice muffled against Boss' collarbone. "all my wishes come true when you're around. well...all but one."

"Which one?" Boss mumbled, sleep beginning to grab at him again.

"...the one where i wish my brother's cancer would go away."

Boss felt him sigh against his chest, and he ran his fingertips over his shoulder gently, reassuringly. "...Is that what you need money for so badly?"

"mhm."

Boss hummed back, considering his options here. He could offer to pay, but the "sugar baby" concept his brother was so fond of was an imperfect model. He doesn't want Rus to think that being with him is a necessity to help his brother, and he certainly isn't looking for Rus to secretly still believe he was nothing more than a prostitute.

"I would offer to pay for it, but I think that creates a gross imbalance of power if we are truly going to give this a honest shot." He shifted so Rus would look up at him. "I don't want you to think you have to please me or stay with me in order to help him survive."

"...yeah, that's the other thing," Rus sighed. "i wanna give this an honest try like you said, but i...if it makes sense, my feelings? are not as important as my brother's life, and being your...boyfriend or whatever, of course i wouldn't expect payment for anything we do, it would be--"

"Insulting and grossly inappropriate," Boss supplied.

"yes, that. but it also means i am...losing my main source of income." Rus rubbed his sockets tiredly, yawning a little. "...an' even if i wanted to take clients again, nobody in their right mind would touch me if i'm  _ yours _ , not that that's even something you would allow."

"Well,  _ allow  _ is a strong word. What you do with your body is your business, but I definitely don't  _ like _ the idea of you continuing at Muffet's," Boss said firmly. "And I can't guarantee I would be able to control myself if I saw you with a client. Again, it is one hundred percent your choice, but there are a lot of cons on that side, currently."

"...yeah," Rus sighed, rolling over to stare at the ceiling again. "so, either i test the limits of my wishes by wishing blue was cancer-free, or i need to wish for another high paying job like, now. both of which seem practically impossible."

"I wouldn't say impossible," Boss said, pulling himself upright to sit against the headboard. "I own an entire hotel, and that's only one of my properties and businesses. I'm sure I can find a good job for you somewhere. Or we could contract you to make more artwork for the hotel, or we could give you a loan and you could pay us back when you sell your works."

"you could do that?" Rus asked, sitting up with him. "i mean, isn't that like...favoritism or something?"

"I've liked your art a lot longer than I've known you, you'll recall," Boss chuckled, winding an arm around his waist to pull him closer. "And even if it  _ was _ a bit favoritism, who do you think is going to complain about it?"

"i don't think i could turn out good pieces fast enough to pay the bills," Rus protested, shaking his head. "i don't think i'd be very comfortable tryna put my art on a timetable, you know? inspiration is fickle at best and pieces like the penthouse one take a lot of it. i could  _ maybe _ do art for the hotel, but i'd need something else consistent to pay the hospital."

"Well, I'm sure there's a way to handle this properly. What about your parents? Can't they help?"

Rus laughed, but it lacked the mirth he'd grown so fond of. "do you think i'd be a prostitute if i had loving parents to help?"

"Ah. Not around?" Boss kissed his skull softly, an unspoken apology.

"we only had dad, until i was sixteen. then he went on some expedition somewhere with a research group, he was a astronomer, and he...didn't come back." Rus shook his head, as if shaking away the memory. "he just...disappeared. they never found a body, 'course, no dust to speak of. nothin'. since he's technically only missing, not dead, we didn't get anything from his life insurance either. blue was only twelve. so yeah, nothing comin' from his end either."

"My father was killed in a mafia-related incident when I was small. Red took over the business and raising me, and that was the last anyone spoke of it." He reached up to wipe away a golden tear Rus didn't seem to realize had been crawling down his cheek. "I suppose I understand, in that respect. The hospital bills being on your shoulders completely, that must be exhausting."

"it's ridiculous," Rus sighed, his fingertips scratching absently at his teeth. "over ten thousand a month to keep him there, for radiation that makes him sicker than the cancer, only to have to watch him throw up everything he eats and still try to smile for me."

"Ten thou--" Boss inhaled sharply, cutting off his words. Now is not the time to discuss how grossly disproportionate that number was. The hospital should have forgiveness for people like Rus who make less (er, get paid under the table for illicit activity, but that's beyond the point, as he wouldn't have had to sell himself in the first place if they had done their damn job). "...Two in the morning is perhaps not the time to discuss everything. When we wake tomorrow, we can see about getting you a job. How does that sound?"

Rus nodded, wiped his tears, and leaned against him, allowing Boss to gather him tightly against him, sinking back into the sheets together in a tangle of bones.

"Whatever does happen, Rus, I'll take good care of you," Boss murmured as he pulled the blankets up. "I promise you that."

"mmm...i believe it, bossman," Rus mumbled back, nuzzling a kiss to his jaw before tucking in, his sockets drooping.

And sleep took them, together.

* * *

Boss paced his office, worry filling his chest with each passing moment.

Rus should have been here an hour ago. He was only to stop by the bar and drop off his bracelets with Muffet, only supposed to do that and then come straight here. He even had Tiberius with him, to make sure he made it safe--

He paused, his sockets widening as he watched a light come to life on his wall. A board dotted with a light for every companion in Muffet's menagerie, a light that only goes off when that person is calling for help or when they break their bracelet to send the distress signal.

It was a genius invention, with watered down collaring magic, and because of it they had never had a worker show up on the evening news face down in a river. It had been tripped a few times, and normally security handled the problem swiftly, but this...this was Rus' light, one that would soon be assigned to a new person, his name peeled from beneath the red beacon, but before it could be given away, it was blinking.

Rus was calling for help. Rus was in danger.

Boss flew from the office, a flurry of papers behind him. It was abnormally dark for only 6:30, the hotel empty and seeming to stretch farther than usual as he took off in a sprint towards the bar. Nobody was in the hallway, not even a maid or a bellhop, and the neon over Muffet's Place flickered weakly as he screeched around the corner.

The bar was empty, too, tables flipped, bottles smashed. Nobody was there except for a few unconscious dog monsters and Muffet weeping on a stool. He tried to ask her what happened, but his voice would not come out, and she only wailed harder, her three left hands pointing shakily to the side door.

The alley was darker than the hotel, nighttime suddenly against all odds. The streetlights spilled into the alleyway, casting light on one of Rus' abandoned gold bracelets, but no sign of his lover anywhere.

Only the pale white face he'd often seen in his nightmares, grinning from the darkness with a mouth full of sharp teeth and one huge red eyelight.

_ "Got attached, did we? A damn shame, son." _

The other gold bracelet fell from the shadows, bouncing and landing beside the other, broken and glimmering with dust.

_ "boss?" _

His voice floated around the empty alleyway, a cruel echo of the love he could have had, and Boss could feel his soul raging inside him his magic turning and--

…and…

…

"boss!"

Boss' eyes snapped open with a gasp, and It took all his strength not to unload an attack on Rus, who hovered over him with a concerned look.

"Move!" He demanded, and Rus thankfully listened, allowing Boss to roll over and grab the small trash by his bed, immediately expelling the unused extra magic from his LV buildup, the nausea of the aborted attack waning slightly as he coughed it out.

He tried not to bristle when a slender hand rested on his back, cool bones running over his too-hot spine and ribs supportively. The moment he wrestled the thought in that it was Rus, he relaxed beneath the touch, gripping the bedside table for support.

"In the future, if it looks like I'm having a nightmare, don't wake me," Boss sighed, fishing around his bedside table drawer for a tissue and wiping his mouth. "I could have really hurt you."

"but you didn't," Rus hummed, his hands sliding down his back to rub gently over scars with practiced precision, relieving the aches that always came with an LV flare. "so just relax, okay?"

He sighed, shifting to hint Rus' hands towards the parts that ached, and thankfully he understood and found them, and oh, his hands felt so good. He rolled over finally, beckoning to him and pulling him in tightly.

Rus held him back, gentle hands rubbing him reassuringly. "it was just a dream."

"But it could happen," he grumbled, laying a protective hand on Rus' skull. "I'm putting you in danger by asking you to be mine."

"i dunno what happened in your dream, but everything's okay here. all that needs doin' today is me and my job search."

"...Do I get to choose the order they get done in?" Boss teased, nuzzling a kiss to the top of his skull as Rus laughed. He ran his hands over the pajama shirt, a few sizes too big for his small lover. "It isn't too late to back out. If it scares you, you can leave, and we can still get you another job."

"m'not scared," Rus reassured him, walking his fingers up his chest with that smirk. "safest place i can be is with you. and i've been a prostitute for over a year, i know how to handle myself in bad situations."

"I don't want you to  _ have _ bad situations," Boss growled, but followed Rus' coaxing hands to rest his head finally. "But I do want  _ you _ ."

"then you have me," Rus promised. "no tip required."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you liked it! There is still quite a bit more to this story, if you have any mafia tropes you want to see you can let me know and maybe they will make it in!
> 
> Also check out these two pieces of AMAZING fanart by bake-your-bombs on Tumblr!
> 
> [This aesthetic picture this nightmare scene was based on](https://bake-your-bombs.tumblr.com/post/640539209453666304/returning-to-an-old-noir-style-of-art-i-had-tried)  
> [This lovely cover for the story!](https://bake-your-bombs.tumblr.com/post/640598704886317056/cracks-another-shot-at-msmkcreates-the-golden)


	9. Letter of Resignation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus quits his job at the bar, and Boss and Blue are finally going to meet! Rus can only hope it all goes smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know I said 10 chapters but, that's not happening. This story is going to be a BIT longer than that, I don't have a number yet but I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Warnings: hospitals, shitty US health system

"you didn't have to come with me to do this," Rus chuckled, setting his gold bracelets on the bar.

"I really did," Boss said cryptically, taking a seat on the stool. 

It was early in the evening yet, so there weren't many patrons or companions about, but the ones who were there were glancing over curiously as Muffet took the bracelets, a flick of her wrist erasing Rus' name from the insides, the simply designed bangles falling to loose chains without Rus' and Muffet's combined magics keeping the contract. The blank chains were dropped into a drawer and Muffet clacked away at a computer screen, the small boards of names and pictures on the tables flashing momentarily before blinking back in without Rus on them.

"I did tell you that you wanted to take that client, didn't I, dearie?" Muffet hummed, pressing his last check into his hands. "I'm happy for you. Both of you."

Rus flushed, golden tones flooding his cheeks as he thanked her, unsure of how to respond other than stuttered well wishes. 

"All done? Let's go, then," Boss said, straightening and starting to stand. 

"no, wait!" Rus insisted, shooing him back onto the stool. "let me just say goodbye to the girls? it's peak prep time so most of them'll be back there right now."

Boss' eyelights flicked around the bar, to the side door, and then back to Rus' pleading eyelights, and he sighed. "Five minutes. Then we should go."

"thank you," Rus said softly, leaning closer, unsure--only for Boss to tip his face up expectantly, tapping his cheekbone to indicate it was okay. Rus happily pressed a kiss to his skull, and oh, it felt nice to do that in front of everybody like that.

He took off to the dressing room, chuckling as he watched the slightly ajar door swing shut, mops of hair disappearing as it swung as if the girls hadn't just been watching the whole thing.

He waved to Clarence, the security guard on duty, who nodded politely at him, and then removed the velvet banister so he could pass. He pushed through the door and was immediately swarmed by the usual suspects, all crowding in to ask him questions in a jumbled mess he couldn't quite understand.

"ladies, ladies, please! one incoherent babble at a time," he chuckled, returning the hugs as they began to squeeze and pet him.

"Rus, you were gone for so long!" Olivia sighed, squeezing his middle. "We all thought you'd run off! Now we see it's true!"

"it was only two weeks private calls," Rus teased her, squeezing her back before releasing her to let Kelly in. "but, you know, i did get lucky. he actually likes me. you guys can keep my outfits, even, not like i'll be lacking."

"Oh, Rus, you sweet lil' thing," Jolene sighed, standing from her chair to get her hug, too. She pulled back, placing her hand on his cheekbone in a motherly fashion. "You deserve it, you were always better than this."

"stop it," Rus said firmly, covering her hand with his own. "there's nothing wrong with what you girls are doing here, okay? and i'll be around, m'gonna look out for you all and tell boss everything that needs changing."

"We'd better keep you on speed dial, then," another girl giggled, and they all shared a laugh before another round of hugs as Rus insisted he had to go, really, his five minutes was almost up--

Boss was waiting for him, eyes set on the door and firmly ignoring the woman sat next to him chatting her head off.

"Good to go?" He asked, taking a final sip of the drink provided as Rus came to a stop in front of him.

"the rubbing it in has been completed," Rus joked, allowing Boss to take his hand and bring it up for a kiss. "but yeah, i said bye. told them i'd tell you what needs fixing here."

"That's the plan. Now let's go, before visiting hours are over." He stood, pulling Rus by the hand and Rus followed, one final look around the bar before trotting after him.

* * *

"i didn't know so many of their charges were bogus," Rus hummed, flicking through the papers they'd received from the bill department after Boss gave them a good dressing down.

"They'll knock a good amount of things off just for asking for an itemized list," Boss explained. "They don't want you knowing they charged thirty dollars for a band-aid. After that it was a matter of showing them your taxable income--the forgiveness plans should cover about 90% of charges now."

"ten thousand down to a thousand," Rus whistled, holding the papers to his chest. "blue's gonna be so happy to hear that. lucky my big bad boyfriend whipped out his lawyer skills."

"I run a hotel for a living, I do a lot of paperwork," he chuckled as they entered the elevator. "Tell me more about Blue, I'm excited to meet him."

Rus chattered away the whole ride up, all the way down the hall, stopping a few rooms short to drop his voice and stop Boss in his tracks.

"i know this probably goes without saying, but...blue doesn't know what i really did to make money for his bills, and i'd like it to stay that way," Rus informed him, rubbing his neck nervously. "you're a wealthy man who'd fallen for my art, and been sponsoring more of it, and then ended up falling for me."

"Where's the lie?" Boss chuckled, kissing his forehead. "That's exactly what happened, isn't it?"

Rus hummed in appreciation, pressing into the kiss. "s'true, i guess. okay, are you ready?"

"Are you?" Boss teased, and Rus chuckled and pulled him along the rest of the way to the door where his brother waited.

"i'll go in first," he insisted, leaving Boss outside the door as he stepped in. "evenin', baby blue."

Blue looked up at him, his eyelights bright in spite of the bags beneath his sockets. He was dressed up today, in nicer pajamas than usual. "Papy! You made it! I thought you were gonna miss visiting hours and then I would  _ never _ get to meet your new boyfriend."

Rus laughed, blushing at the thought of someone else calling Boss his boyfriend. "nah, i wouldn't miss it. he's just out there waiting for the word. just...i want you to have, like, an open mind about it, okay? he can be scary at first glance but i swear he's a sweetheart."

Blue leaned in, dropping his voice in a conspiratorial manner. "And he's the rich guy who likes your art, is he? He's got good taste, so that makes him good in my book."

"i don't like him for the money," Rus said, rubbing his knuckles over his skull gently. "trust me, we've made sure there's no misunderstandings there."

He stepped back and opened the door, and Boss looked up from where he was straightening his tie.

"blue, this is boss. boss, this is my brother, blue," Rus explained, pulling Boss gently by the hand into the room.

There was a beat of silence as the two of them looked at each other, maybe slightly too long for Rus' comfort. Before he could worry, though, Blue smiled brightly, offering his hand as extended as he could with the wires attached.

"It's nice to finally meet you!" He said cheerfully, and Boss leaned in to shake his hand gently.

"Likewise," Boss responded, releasing the handshake and instead settling his hand on Rus' shoulder. "I would have met you sooner, but things can get rather busy during this season in the hotel business."

"I'm sure! Not too busy to notice an artist like my brother, though!"

"bluuuuue," Rus protested, pulling his hood up to hide his blush. It proved futile when Boss pushed it back enough to kiss his forehead.

"It was hard to miss him. Like his art, he shines so brightly I had no choice but to adore him."

"i am...gonna go get coffee," Rus chuckled, weaseling out of Boss' hold. "all these compliments are making me squidgy."

Boss held his hand fast before he left, pressing another kiss to his knuckles. "You'll have to get used to them eventually, Lovely."

They watched him stutter and steam as he fumbled his way out the door to the hall, and silence fell as Boss watched him through the room's window until he couldn't see him anymore.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Boss turned back to Blue with a sour frown. Back to those eyelights he had grown to know so well over the years, the man he'd considered a brother, somehow sitting primly in a hospital bed with no sign of any involvement with mob business.

Somehow thinking he's in the wrong here? That him being with Rus is the issue on the table?

He puffed up, indignant. "Me?  _ You're _ supposed to be  _ dead! _ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh, Blue? Wanna explain?


	10. Broken Clauses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have some explaining to do, while a blissfully ignorant Rus enjoys his first day as a free man and a boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so this story maybe has ten more chapters to it now haha, I'm not sure how many it will take to tell it all
> 
> Warnings: faked death, mafia/mob life, lies from loved ones,

" _ You're  _ supposed to be  _ dead! _ I watched you die!"

"Yes," Blue growled, gripping the sheets. "And I'd have liked to stay that way! If you think I'm gonna stand for you dragging my brother into this mess--"

"I didn't drag him into  _ anything _ , he's perfectly fucking willing to be with me. And for the record, I didn't even know he was your brother, probably because you  _ never _ mentioned you had one!" Boss hissed, leaning in close. " _ You _ were my brother, Grim!"

"Don't call me that!" Blue huffed, staring defiantly up at him. "I'm not him anymore!"

"I  _ mourned  _ you," Boss said, voice low and dangerous. "I  _ avenged  _ you. And all this time you were here. Sick! Your bills piling up when we could have  _ helped _ ."

"Papy has everything covered, I don't need the family," Blue argued. "I want a normal life with him, like our dad wanted for us. Besides, don't act like this is coincidence, what, did Red tell you right away or did he wait a few months?"

"Red--" Boss inhaled deeply, his anger boiling inside of him but he needed to keep a lid on it. "Red  _ knows? _ "

That made Blue squint at him, suspicious at his genuine surprise and for good reason. He and Red don't truly keep much from each other, but they both knew Red might keep something important if it suited the family's best interests. Even keeping secrets for found family over blood.

"Keep your head on, okay? Papy doesn't need to know about any of this." Blue crossed his arms. "He was halfway across the country when I ran with you guys, getting his degree."

"...You didn't tell us about him, because you didn't want him involved, and you didn't tell  _ him _ anything, because you didn't want him to hightail it back here in lieu of his schooling," Boss hummed, crossing his own arms. "That  _ does _ sound like him. And I can't argue with results."

"Good, now can we address the fact that you--"

Blue cut off swiftly as Rus hurried back into view. Catching his line of sight, Boss opened the door for him and took the tray as it threatened to topple.

"Careful, that could have been a disaster," Boss said softly, and Rus beamed up at him.

"yeah, coulda been. thank you." He peeked around Boss to Blue. "you feeling coffee today, bro?"

"I think I can stomach it," Blue said, his grin stretched easily across his face. A flawless facade, as he'd always worn. Rus hustled past Boss to give him the coffee. "Boss was just telling me how he likes to take his coffee."

"cream, no sugar. right?" Rus asked, looking up at Boss with hopeful eyelights as he held his cup up to him.

"Exactly right," Boss hummed, accepting it and winding an arm around his waist to pull him closer. "You have a good memory."

Rus practically melted under the praise, and though Boss could  _ feel  _ Blue watching them with scrutiny, he must have liked what he saw because the heated stare waned and eventually he turned his attention to his own cup of coffee.

They talked for a bit more, but really, Boss was itching to leave. He had some questions for his own brother.

* * *

"Hello, Red."

Red fumbled his pastry, making a snatch at the air to try and catch it once, twice--! He caught it on the third try, a little too hard, squishing the cream filling out the end and all over the top of his hand.

He sighed, looking up at his brother with annoyance. "can i help you?"

"Maybe you can," Boss hummed, running his fingertips over a shelf and grimacing at the dust he found there. "I've been thinking a lot, lately, about Grim, and how he died. It just never made  _ sense _ to me, he was always the best at dodging, always higher HP than you. I wondered how a simple stray bullet could have done him in."

"could be luck of th' draw, i guess," Red grunted, using a napkin to wipe up his mess and placing the devastated donut on a plate. "but that was two years ago, we made good on him, why're you bringing it up now?"

"You tell me, Red," Boss growled, frowning as he placed his hands on the desk. "Tell me, tell me _why_ I went to meet my boyfriend's brother tonight and he wore Grim's face. Tell me _why_ he asked if  _ you _ told me he was there, tell me _why_ he would accuse  _ me _ of dragging his brother into this mess."

Realization dawned on Red's face, and it melted into an easy chuckle. "putting that puzzle together, are we, boss?"

"Dammit! I don't have time or patience for a puzzle right now!" Boss snarled, slamming his hand on the desk. "How  _ dare _ you drag Rus into this life! How  _ dare _ you, when you easily could have handled Grim's bills yourself! Rus was here selling his  _ body _ and you just let it happen!"

"alright, sheesh, calm down," Red placated, waving a hand at him. "look, i get whatcha mean but, that ain't how it went down, exactly."

"Oh? And how did it go? You lie to my face about our brother in arms, you leave him rotting in a hospital without us until his brother has to sell himself to survive?" Boss grabbed him by the tie, pulling him closer with a low-pitched growl. "Enlighten me, brother."

"it was grim's choice!" Red growled back, covering his hand and squeezing. "he wanted out! didn't want his brother involved, and hell, i kinda know how that feels! every day i wish you hadn't grown up in this shit show! he had a chance, his quick thinking when we hunted him down looking for his dad wiped rus off the map, nobody knows who he is. and grim was careful, gave a fake name, always covered up, he could make it without anyone recognizing him. so, yeah, i helped him get out, an' i'd do it again!"

"If it was so important, then why would you bring Rus into this and make it a cycle?"

"i didn't! yer little  _ liability _ went and found us all on his own. i was minding my damn business, doing my job and pretendin' grim was dead, when all of a fucking sudden rus comes walking in, looking for a job. i tried to scare him off, even, tried t'offer other stuff, but muff had already hired 'im and there was no way i could start paying all the bills without arousing some suspicion."

"So what, you just dangle him in front of me hoping I would take the bait?" Boss' sockets widened and he dropped him roughly back into his chair. "Dear Gods, that's exactly what you did. Right down to the painting that hangs in my office, the way you needled me into trying a new companion again."

"worked out, didn't it?"

Boss inhaled sharply, bringing his joined hands to his face and closing his eyes, his posture rigid as he breathed a moment. "You tricked me. You tricked us both."

"all's i did was think, where's the safest place fer him if he's gonna do this? and it happened that you needed a push." Red's smoldering eyelights bored into him. "beyond that was all you. you fell in love all on yer own."

"But at what cost?" Boss sighed, drawing his hands over his skull with a gnarly scraping noise. "He will never be safe again. Never be normal, like Grim...like Blue wants. You could have done something else, anything else, but now I'm…"

"attached, yeah," Red sighed, pulling a fresh donut from the box and sliding the box over as Boss sat heavily in the chair. "is it so bad? really? it ain't what anybody wanted except for you an' rus. you wanted each other, an' it's the best goddamn decision anyone in this family's made in a long time. yell at me all y'want but are y'gonna stop lovin' him just because y'know i planned it?"

"Just tell me you didn't do it for the sake of finding Dings and his treasure," Boss said, his voice low and firm. "Tell me it wasn't motivated by that."

"hand t'god, that wasn't why," Red said swiftly, crossing his chest with his index finger.

"We are never finding it," Boss said, standing and retrieving a donut from the offered box. "So I expect you will leave him be about it. You've made enough of a mess, so keep your metaphorical nose out of mine and my boyfriend's business from now on."

"eh, i'll probably continue to meddle, but you don't really expect me not to, eh?"

Boss rolled his eyelights, shaking his head as he left to collect his waiting lover.

* * *

Rus looked up from his dinner, over at his lover where he sat glaring daggers at his asparagus. He'd been quiet and perhaps a little pissed off all evening, ever since he came back from speaking with his brother about something in the office.

Was it Rus? Did they argue because he wasn't supposed to get involved, maybe? Did Boss tell Rus anything Red wasn't happy he knows? Even though it wasn't likely he was the issue, it still felt like the only explanation for Boss' sudden lack of chat.

Not to mention, this was their first meal together where Rus wasn't getting paid to be here, which was strange enough already. Rus pushed his food around his plate, his magic a little unsettled at the silence and uncertainty that comes with the new relationship.

"You aren't hungry?" Boss asked finally, drawing Rus from his own thoughts when he noticed Rus' lack of appetite.

"no, uh, i'm fine. i was just worrying about you and got lost in my thoughts." He smiled at him and was relieved to get a smirk in return, his boyfriend sitting up a little straighter and reaching over to take his hand.

"You need not worry about me, I just...had quite the conversation with my brother. I didn't mean to let it affect your meal."

"but it's okay if it affects yours?" Rus chuckled, using his free hand to spear a potato on his fork and offer it up. 

Boss leaned in with a twitch of a smile and took the bite, swallowed, and then leaned past the fork to steal a kiss that Rus was all-too-happy to share.

"If we aren't going to eat, then come with me. I want to show you something."

Curious, Rus hurried to place his napkin on the pristine dining table and took Boss' hand, following him through the hall and up the giant double staircases. Seeing his painting on the landing was enough to make him blush, remembering last night (had it really only been one day?) and all it meant.

He hadn't really explored too much of the upstairs yet, they'd been a little busy getting to Boss' room when they were up here last night, so he was looking around curiously at all the paintings in this hallway. Great pieces, no more obscenely famous ones but he did see a few that spoke of talent. They stopped before a set of double doors at the end of the hall, and from his pocket, Boss drew an old skeleton key, which was probably the coolest thing Rus had seen all day (God, keep your cool, man, don't let him know how ridiculously fascinated you are by antique keys, don't geek out, don't geek out), and unlocked them.

"Did you know, my bedroom is not the master bedroom?" Boss asked as the key clicked in the lock.

Rus shook his head. "i didn't know that. why not?"

"A few reasons. One is because my current bedroom used to be the nursery, and I grew quite attached to it over the years I spent there. Another is because the master bedroom has a balcony, and I had too many... _reservations_ about sleeping in a room with two entrances. It seemed unsafe." 

Boss opened the doors, revealing a large, dusty room with scattered spare furniture covered in sheets and two huge glass doors and a balcony. He gestured, and Rus took the hint and went in to investigate. The walls were painted a light blue, charming and trimmed with golden hues. The balcony, he could see, was overlooking the beautiful garden he had had a chance to look at earlier.

"woah," Rus breathed, turning the lock on the balcony doors and pushing it open. "this room is awesome!"

"I'm glad you like it," Boss hummed, taking his hand and drawing him back inside the doors. "Because it's yours."

He pressed the old key into his hand and curled his fingers securely around it, eyelights meeting his with a smile.

Rus stared at it for a moment, and then back up at Boss. "mine?"

"I think it would make a better art studio than a storage room, don't you?" Boss asked, his brow cocked in question.

Oh, the images that suggestion conjured were _so_ alluring, and Rus held the key close to his chest with a small smile as he imagined it, almost as if he could really see the space filling with art supplies in front of him. His easel by the window, daylight pouring in over a pottery wheel, a telescope on the balcony so he could sketch out the constellations. He could have a couch to lounge on while he sketched, a kiln, maybe a woodworking table, plenty of space for his paints--

"i'd hate to take up your space with my stuff," Rus said slowly, looking down at the key. "seems unfair."

"Well, it goes along with another offer, if I'm honest," Boss said slowly. "It would be...safest...if you live here. With me. And I would also, personally, very much enjoy that."

"...oh." Rus blinked, looking back out over the garden in contemplation. "i...that sounds really nice, but...maybe too soon? and, uh, my apartment is closer to the hospital, too. i just...i'm not sure about it, yet. is that okay?"

He peeked back at Boss, whose disappointment was obvious, but he smiled at him anyway. "If you're not comfortable with it yet, then that's okay. It's not wise to rush things like this, they say."

"you're sure?" Rus asked, dubious.

Boss chuckled, reaching up to cup his cheekbone, tracing gently with his thumb. "I'd rather wait than scare you off. It'll be harder to keep you safe from a distance, but not impossible."

Rus relaxed into the touch, holding out the key, only for Boss to push his hand back.

"That's still yours. You're welcome anytime and you can do what you wish with this room," he reiterated. "Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help you set it up how you want."

Rus squeezed the key, heavy bronze in his hand and a simple design to the handle. It looked similar to the skeleton key he keeps in his imagination, with less vines to decorate but no less beautiful.

The key to his art studio. The one he'd always wanted, in a huge house with his lover nearby, and a garden almost as beautiful as the one he barely remembers his mom used to keep.

He threw his arms around Boss, who chuckled and pulled him up in his grasp, holding him tight as he kissed his face over and over with muttered gratitudes.

It had been a long first day, but so far so good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely more to come but consider this the end of part one and the beginning of the next part of the story! I will NOT be making a new story, to clarify, I will still post in this one  
> Let me know your feelings, headcanons, theories, and thoughts in the comments!


	11. Amending the Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boss and Rus attend a deal-making dinner. It does not go to plan, but what ever does these days?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you guys are liking Ex-Mafia Blue, I'm quite proud of that twist if I do say so myself!
> 
> Warnings: collar culture/fell traditions, perceived ownership, mentioned/described violence, guns, the word "whore" used in a derogatory manner

"is this okay?" Rus asked, holding the dress against hinself in the mirror. "they won't get all weird about a guy wearing a dress? humans can be weird like that."

"If they have anything to say about your choice of attire, they can address me," Boss said, idly going through a few papers at his desk as Rus placed the dress back on the bed, selecting a different one. "And we all know that wouldn't end well for them."

Boss stole a glance up at Rus, who looked so concentrated as he hung his two favorites up, stepping back to observe them both with that look in his eye. Boss had a generous supply of outfits on hand that conveniently fit Rus, and though he had initially been dubious about accepting them, he also had agreed he couldn't start attending dinners and meetings wearing a sweatshirt. His choice of a dress this evening seemed to be motivated by Boss' off-hand comment that the other men involved were bringing their wives to this dinner, in an effort to keep everything civil and make for the best atmosphere to sign a treaty between families.

Setting his paperwork down, Boss stepped up behind Rus, pulling him in by the hips and kissing the back of his head.

"I'm partial to the gold," he supplied. "Almost a perfect match to your soul."

Ah, there it is, that cute honeyed blush of his. Boss had grown to really love that blush, as of late, had been messing around to see what could earn it. It had been a little under a week since that night in the hot tub but Rus still seemed to blush at the thought of that moment, even though it was Boss' favorite memory to date.

"Then again," Boss hummed, a gentle finger under Rus' chin making him tip his face up for a kiss. "Maybe I'd like to keep that color to myself."

Rus hummed and turned in his grip, leaning up into the kiss, careful not to wrinkle his shirt. "mmm...so the black one, then?"

"You look lovely in black. You could even make yellow look good, I would bet on it."

Rus chuckled, pushing him away before turning to pull his sweater over his head, Boss settled back on the bed, enjoying the show as Rus stepped out of his day clothes and into the dress, sliding it up his slender bones. At his behest, Boss stood and helped him zip, kissing his shoulder as he reached the top.

"Beautiful," Boss hummed as Rus turned to see how it looked on him. "There's one more thing, I hope you don't mind."

"oh?" Rus turned as Boss drew a long box from his pocket.

He hesitated, and looked at Rus seriously. "I know you worry about too fast. I understand it. But I also need you safe, and though it may be too fast, I think it's important I make it obvious we belong to each other. That being said, you have every right to say no--I do not own you, even if you take this, do you understand?"

Rus nodded, taking the box. It was obvious he had an inkling of what it was--collars may be an old tradition, replaced for the most part with wedding rings since the monsters came to the surface 60 years ago, but they were still an important part of monster history and functioned, at this point, as more of a promise.

For Rus and Boss, it was a promise of protection, a promise of trust. A promise of respect, and affection. And he had made sure that Rus would feel those things when he touched it, his delicate fingers running over the simple leather, the antique heart charm with a brilliant ruby inset. If he rejected it, Boss would be disappointed--but he had promised Rus there would be equality in this relationship, that his opinion mattered, and he wasn't one to make false promises.

"put it on me?" Rus offered, picking it up out of the box.

"Really?" Boss asked, taking it, and Rus smirked at him and nodded. Affection swelled in his chest, dear God he truly thinks he might love this monster. "...Thank you."

The dainty collar was a good fit for Rus, snug against his vertebrae and it would match anything he wears, Boss made sure of that. He'd taken note of Rus' interest in antiques, too, and had looked for a charm he would like, and from the way Rus was touching it and smiling softly in the mirror, he knew that had been a good choice.

"it does pull the whole outfit together," Rus hummed.

"You don't have to wear it all the time if it's too much," Boss reminded him. "Just dinners and meetings, things where you're seen with me."

"and if i wanna wear it all the time?" Rus asked, arching a brow at him in the mirror.

"That would…" Boss smiled shyly back at him. "That would make me very happy. If you want to."

"promises are good," Rus said, that sweet blush returning. "i can do a promise."

With that, Boss swept him up, into his arms and held him tight, nuzzling a kiss against his warm mouth, enjoying the taste of his laughter.

There's very little he wouldn't do to keep this promise.

* * *

"you...stabbed his hand."

"Yes."

Red stared at his brother in disbelief, blinking slowly down at where he sat in the opposite chair. "you stabbed his hand with a fork. and that's when--"

"That's when the fight started, yes," Boss said primly, not an ounce of guilt on his face. "He pulled his gun, and I pulled mine, and he left with his tail between his legs."

"all because he brought gina to the table?" Red pried, genuinely trying to wrap his head around exactly what shitshow he'd walked into this evening.

"Heavens, no," Boss argued, chuckling. "Gina may have tried to kill me, and yes, it dampened our relationship quite a bit that she had sided with Malone and his goons over myself, but that was over a year ago, I hold no ill will toward her or who she chooses to share her bed with now."

"then...then why did you stab him?!"

Boss' expression tightened, his jaw set as he clenched the fist in his lap. "Because he called Rus a dirty whore. And that was not an insult I would allow."

Red inhaled deeply, sitting on the edge of his desk as he pinched his furrowed brows. "okay. okay, i get that, but we was supposed to be signing a treaty tonight, not startin' a war."

"I don't want a treaty with someone who doesn't respect Rus," Boss said firmly. "Especially a hypocrite whose own wife used to do the same. His words were a deliberate stab, not even at me but at my partner because he knew he couldn't do anything about the way Gina looked at me with jealous eyes. If he wants a treaty he will need to be better than that, and if he wants war I will gladly finish the fight I started tonight."

"but i…" Red sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. "you're supposed to be the level-headed one! the people person!"

"Then perhaps you should have thought twice before giving me someone to protect," Boss snapped back, rising from his seat and collecting his hat from the side table. "Now if you'll excuse me, my lover needs me. He just witnessed something very traumatic and I need to make sure he's alright."

"yeah, sure, whatever," Red sighed. "jeez, i wanted you t'get a boyfriend, not go fuckin' apeshit over words. but, whatever, i get it. go take care of yer snowflake."

"Careful, brother," Boss warned, putting his hat on. "Unless you also want a fork through your hand."

Red flipped him off as he left, but there was no heat to it. His brother very rarely got impulsive, and if Boss thought it was a big enough offense to fight over, then it was.

Simple as that.

* * *

Rus was still shaking even as he turned the shower off, as he toweled dry and dressed in the soft robe Boss had left for him. The Penthouse was quiet, a memory standing before him as he tried to calm himself from earlier.

Boss had wanted to head back to his home together, but after the scene in the restaurant there was no denying he needed to speak with Red and Rus needed to decompress.

He wasn't all that bothered by the guy calling him a whore, on its own. He wasn't lying when he said the word doesn't bother him, it was what he _had_ been. It was what he'd said before that that bothered him--the part about Rus' collar being a joke _and how like Boss to fuck around and collar a dirty whore_.

Because names don't bother Rus, but the idea that this is all a joke and the accusation that Boss is just playing around, that keeps him up at night as it is. Only now it won't be that that keeps him up, it'll probably be the sound the fork made when it went through that guy's hand, or the shriek of his girlfriend or wife or whatever she was as the men drew their guns on each other. It would be the sick twisting in his chest when he thinks about how weirdly _proud_ he was for the whole display, even though it went against everything he thought he stood for.

He sat on the edge of the bed, holding the collar in his hands delicately. Does he put it back on? Accept that he's actually a part of this? After tonight it's hard to deny that he did like the way Boss defends him, and maybe he's never been the best fit for how rough and tumble city life is but having Boss there to help him...feels right.

"It's okay if you don't want to wear it."

Rus jumped a bit, guilty, holding it closer to his chest as Boss hung his hat and jacket with a sigh. "i wasn't thinking that."

"You were, but that's alright," Boss reassured him, kneeling beside the bed and gathering his hands around the collar. "You're different, Rus. You don't belong in this world, you're...you're better than all of this. What you saw at dinner tonight, it will happen again. And again. And again. I may come home hurt, or I may not come home at all one night. If you don't want that heartache then it's okay to move away from it. This is your last chance to walk away before you're stuck here."

"...with you, though, right?" Rus asked, squeezing Boss' hands. "i'd be stuck here with you?"

"Yes, that's true, but romantic ideals are just fantasies," Boss said firmly. "I'm to blame here, as well. I thought...I thought if I had my collar around your neck, if I had you, had your trust, then that was all that mattered." 

He gently removed the collar from Rus' hands, laying it flat across his palm and touching the charm thoughtfully. "But it isn't just us. It's everyone who hates me, everyone who works for me. It's things I won't be able to tell you no matter the cost, secrets that aren't mine to share and fear and anger I won't always be able to keep at bay."

"you're saying i'm too good for you now?" Rus chuckled, cupping Boss' cheekbones and tipping his chin up to look him in the sockets. "you asked me before what i see in you, and all i see is gold. justice, and fire, and passion. i could paint you a million times and i would never do it right."

Boss hummed and leaned in to accept the kiss Rus offered, a soft press of the mouth filled with a rush of Intent.

"if anything, you're too good for me," Rus breathed against him. "i'm a little shaken from tonight but...i think i liked it a little? more than i care to admit. and you standing up for me did some things to my libido that i can't seem to talk down from the ledge."

Before Boss could protest, Rus plucked the collar from his hands and fastened it around his neck, the simple choker a physical reminder of Boss' devotion as it laid snugly against his bones.

"there. done. no going back." Rus insisted. "i want you, even if it means there might be danger ahead."

"You're a fool," Boss sighed, almost dreamily, his fingertips running up Rus' arm, over the collar, his jaw, then smoothing over his skull to grip the back and pull him in for another kiss. "But may the heavens have mercy on this city, because so am I."

"my fool," Rus said firmly, pulling impatiently at his coat. "now get up an' help me work off this adrenaline, huh?"

Boss chuckled, shedding his coat. His hands wound inside Rus' robe swiftly, with purpose.

"Yes, sir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Plot, plot...plot?  
> Readers: This is just 2000 words of the boys being very very gay for each other  
> Me: Ploooooot  
> Readers: I mean, we aren't complaining, but...


	12. Not in the Job Description

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus gets a job, sets up his new studio, and sticks a toe in to test the water on certain other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many vague ideas but I do have a storyline I promise. But the boys being Very Gay™️ always gets in the way.
> 
> Warnings: none, I think, let me know if I'm wrong?
> 
> Smut: they get a little handsy and talk about sex

"This is the break room, and this is the coffee machine. You'll probably never use it because it's perpetually broken, but it's there," Burgerpants sighed, gesturing lazily at the decrepit old coffee machine, which Rus was pretty sure hadn't seen a coffee ground since 1976. "Schedules get posted here on Fridays, but I suspect you'll probably know before then."

He didn't miss the way BP's eyes lingered on his collar as he said that.

"You won't really be doing much up front work," he continued, turning away without commenting further on his accessory. "Boss says you'll be filling the quality assurance title, something we've been tryna hire for a while now. How's your customer service?"

"i've heard that i'm charming," Rus offered. "but i'm not working up front, you said?"

"Nah. You'll be going through customer surveys and doing quality inspections, you might be called on t'handle an upset customer or employee complaint. You'll probably be asked to make reports on what can be done better an' maybe do some trainings once you know what yer doin'." BP pushed open a door and handed him a small key. "Here's your office, and yer key. It's been unofficial storage for a while, so sorry but it's a bit messy."

"i mean, my own office is a step up from my old job, but that isn't hard," Rus joked, and BP gave a chuckle. He knew very well what Rus used to do, seeing as he used to come here on his breaks to shoot the shit and buy a snack occasionally. "thanks, bp. for being cool about all this."

"Hey, I'm just happy y'look like yer sleepin'," BP chuckled, running his furry knuckles over Rus' skull in a friendly noogie. "F'real, glad yer outta there."

"wasn't the worst job ever," Rus shrugged. "could be working the snack counter at a hotel."

"Don't I fuckin' know it." BP sighed, scratching his ear absently. "Well, uh, Boss said'e left you a note with yer password n'stuff, and you should have instructions for yer training on the computer, t'teach you how to use the system. Other'n that I think that concludes the tour, I'll be at the snack counter if y'need me."

"cool, i'll let you know."

With that, he was left alone in the tiny, dusty room, and even though it was kind of cramped, it was his and that was...nice. Boss did what he said he would and found him a job that fit, one he didn't feel bad taking. Quality assurance for the whole hotel seemed like a lot but he's sure it'll be okay--his job is mostly to smooth ruffled feathers and report back to Boss with what could be better, and having worked in the hardest job position there he thinks he has a decent idea where to start.

But first, it looks like he'll need to put some work into cleaning the place up.

* * *

All day spent cleaning his office, and most of the evening spent setting up his new studio. Rus sighed as he set the box of paints on the counter (brand new counters with cabinets that Boss had pretended were there all along, and Rus let him pretend), tired and covered in a layer of grime from all the dust.

Removing the dusty old sheets had revealed a chaise lounge like he'd seen in his imagination, large and deep red with gold accents. He'd also unearthed a trunk full of yarn that Boss wasn't sure about ("Probably my mother's," he had said. "You're welcome to it if it's still good.") and, to his delight, a drawer full of antique keys in the ancient armoir.

Which is when all work had immediately stopped, and Rus had sat his happy ass on the floor with the removed drawer, humming as he went through the keys one by one.

"Ah, you've found the keys drawer."

Rus bobbed his head in a nod as Boss set down the box he was carrying to sit cross-legged on the floor beside him. It was a little silly, his nice Armani suit pants on the dusty floor, but Rus was charmed nonetheless.

"these go to anything?" Rus asked, picking up a crooked brass key with jagged teeth.

"Not that I've been able to find. I guess my father collected them for some reason, he was at the Antique Faire every month looking for them. But Red says he would bring it home and immediately put them in the drawer, never to be taken out again." Boss plucked a copper one from the depths, a charming butterfly worked into the handle. "We inherited everything in this house when he died, and when Red moved out he left whatever he didn't take to me. So if you want these, they're yours."

Boss jumped as Rus' hands clattered against the edges of the removed drawer. "you're serious?!"

"Yes, of course, if you like them," Boss chuckled. "I have no use for--"

Boss made a noise of surprise as Rus pushed his way into his lap, a heavy, excited kiss pressed to his teeth and his long fingers tangled in Boss' collar to pull him closer. Boss flailed for a moment before settling his hands on his lover's hips and pulling him in, heated breath escaping between kisses as his head reeled.

"when's the next antique faire?" Rus asked, breaking the kiss and leaving a bewildered Boss searching for the lost heat.

"Um." Boss blinked, looking down at him with wide sockets. "This Saturday, I think. Why, would you like to go?"

"please?" Rus hummed, looking up at him excitedly, his cheeks tinged honey gold with pleasure.

"Then we'll go," Boss agreed.

That earned him another kiss, just as passionate and twice as handsy, and it was a surprise, but a welcome one--Rus didn't often initiate beyond flirting and suggestion, a lingering habit from his days as paid companionship. Boss wanted to encourage him as much as he could to be vocal and physical about his wants and needs, and the best way to do that was to enthusiastically reciprocate--not that that was proving to be difficult in any way, Rus is alluring enough even when he isn't trying to be.

"can we try something new tonight?" Rus practically purred, the fuzzy warmth of his Intent washing over Boss in waves.

"Anything you want," Boss hummed, trying to root out the heat of his kiss again, chasing him as he leaned back with a chuckle.

"i'll have to go get a few things from my apartment," Rus explained, tracing gentle fingertips down Boss' jaw. "be back in an hour?"

"An hour is a lifetime," Boss grumbled, reluctantly releasing him from his grasp. "But I suppose it gives a chance to change out of these dusty clothes."

Before Rus got up completely, he reached down, his hand sliding down Boss' pants to squeeze the sensitive bone and send a jolt of pleasure and promises up his spine, a slight shock at the boldness of the move before his lover got up with one last kiss to leave.

Rus being bold is a look Boss quite likes. He follows him out, visions of possibilities of what Rus wants to do dancing in his head.

* * *

Rus knew it would be a hard sell, but he could always ask, and he knows Boss has been trying to get him to be more vocal about what he wants. Worst case scenario (which is looking likely, with the way Boss is studying the items he brought) he says no, and they go back to sex the way they've been doing it.

No losing, really.

Boss dragged the silken rope through his hands, testing the give. He inspected the gag, the handcuffs, the feather tickler, pulling items from Rus' box of tricks one by one with great concentration, as if taking a very important test.

"I'm unsure about this," Boss said finally, setting the cuff set back on the bed.

"i know, i have a lot of stuff, but, i don't think we need to go crazy. definitely go light and we can talk about comfort zones later with the rest," Rus explained, putting some of the saucier items back in the box.

"Even so, Rus, the implications of this kind of play are…" Boss inhaled, turning and touching his cheekbone lightly. "First and foremost, with your HP what it is, I wouldn't be comfortable doing much impact or restraints on you, I would be too worried about hurting you. Secondly, I think with our particular dynamic, the idea of me dominating you in such a way, or any kind of master and slave type of play just doesn't sit well with me. Not when I'm trying so hard to make sure you understand we're equal in this."

Rus didn't catch the chuckle before it left him, his hand fluttering up to stifle it a second too late. Boss raised a brow at him.

"sorry, uh...it's just, uhm, i meant...this stuff is not for  _ me _ ." Rus pointed out. "i used to have sex for a living, and let's just say the guys looking for this kind of play generally weren't lookin' to top."

The wheels in Boss' head seemed to turn achingly slow, but when it clicked, he lit up with a flush that could rival a stoplight, a stunned silence giving Rus all the answer he needed.

"yup, okay, got it," Rus chuckled, beginning to pile the toys and restraints back into the box. "boss does not switch, that's not a big deal, just thought i would ask--"

"Wait," Boss sputtered, grabbing his wrist gently. "I never have but that doesn't mean I won't, I don't want you to think you don't have a say in this."

"i do have a say, i  _ had _ my say, you didn't want it, and that's okay," Rus laughed, patting his hand gently. "it's on the table if you change your mind, but i don't want you to think you have to just to prove something."

Boss' jaw clicked shut--nail on the head, he supposed, and his lover brought his other hand up to rub the back of his neck awkwardly. "I will think on it, and research, and get back to you?"

"hmmm, acceptable," Rus hummed, bringing his hand up for a soft kiss. "the way you've been calling me 'sir' lately just got me thinkin', is all."

"Oh, you like that, do you?" Boss chuckled, twisting their joined hands to spin Rus and pull him back against his chest. "Good to know."

Oh, ooohhh, that tongue should be illegal, Rus thinks, dazed, as it runs over his neck slowly, Boss' hands wandering slightly. "mmm...oh, ohhh, please--"

"Oh, please, oh yes, so demanding," Boss hummed, his fingertips landing delicately on Rus' shoulders, rubbing lightly, massaging away the tension he had been building from all the moving and cleaning he'd done today. "Maybe you're right, maybe you should take the lead. I'll think on the more intense play, but there's no reason you can't tell me what to do right now."

"...you're gonna power bottom," Rus accused, melting beneath his touch even as he shook his head.

"I'm going to power bottom," Boss agreed.

With that, Rus turned, catching him by the mouth with a laugh, and they fell into the bed together, tangled in sheets and cries of pleasure, and even if he didn't get to see him in ropes and lace, the sight of Boss beneath him with that hungry grin was enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These boys make me so happy, Boss is just doing His Best


	13. High-Stakes Trading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of the antique faire, and Rus is having the time of his life...until, of course, he isn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo it's been a minute for this one and I'm sorry! But I have an update for y'all, I got over my tiny bit of writer's block I'd been trying to write through  
> I'm going to tag accordingly but I want you guys to know that the non-con stuff happens off screen and is implied/alluded to. We will see the aftermath 
> 
> Warnings: attempted non-con, violence, guns, threatening, panic, healing from traumatic events, hurt/comfort

The antique faire was bustling already by the time they got there, even if Boss had somehow managed to coax his lover from bed early. Rus, it seemed, liked to sleep in, and on a normal day where he had slept over, it was endearing and a chance to wake him in many lovely ways, but today it only took a small whisper of what waited for him here to get him up.

He followed him around the stalls, his buzzing excitement adorably charming as he asked about any piece that caught his eye. Lucky for him the vendors' wariness for Boss flew right over Rus' head, as he repeatedly hummed about his luck with all the great prices he was seeing.

No keys, yet, and the faire was easily twice as big as Boss had originally anticipated. But they'd managed to find some antique medicine bottles, which had Rus on a tangent about all the crazy things humans used to put in medicine ("cause you can't cough if you're in a coma, amirite?").

"Would you like something to eat?" Boss finally asked, regrettably interrupting his boyfriend mid-rant about Sherlock Holmes' opiate addiction, but someone had to before the poor thing talked himself into passing out. The early morning was clearly starting to get to him, even if he was trying not to show it, and the fact that he'd been too excited to touch his breakfast didn't help.

"...yeah. probably," Rus chuckled, running a hand over his skull as he smiled up at Boss. "that's likely a good idea."

"I'll go find us something to eat," Boss said, touching Rus' chin lightly. He allowed his own smile to twitch up at the corners as Rus leaned into the touch readily. "Don't go too far, lovely."

He leaned down and kissed him, a brief reprieve from the stimulus around him, enough of a warning, he hoped. He reluctantly pulled back, giving him a little push towards the next table, and off Rus went in search of keys, and Boss in search of food.

He really hates crowds, but the crowd at an antique faire isn't exactly scary folk. The worst he'll likely see today is the wrong end of a lady's purse if he startles her. Eventually he found a stand selling food, and he was wary of the amount of grease and the long line, but his love needed to eat and he hadn't had the forethought to bring a lunch so he resigned himself to the line and stepped into place.

His mind wandered, though only slightly, enough to maybe seem like he was off-guard but anyone who truly thought so was a fool. Still, he let his mind conjure up images of Rus being so excited when he finally did find a key or two, and then maybe a scandalous thought or two woven in. He sure hoped Rus was having more luck on his hunt than Boss was on his, as the line inched forward at a snail's pace.

He was just praising his luck as he finally neared the front of the line when he had a sudden feeling that something was off.

Then a jolt of actual terror struck his spine, and for a disorienting moment he thought he'd been attacked, but no, this was worse than that--this was Rus' fear, an alarm raised from the collar around his too-delicate neck, and he left the line quicker than lightning, pushing through the crowd in the general direction of the feeling, looking around frantically for him, imagining the worst--

The alley was void but for a man, two dog monsters pinning him to a wall and growling as Rus cowered against the opposite brick, clutching at his shirt as he watched with wide eyelights. The man was already beaten bloody, a dog on each arm waiting only for his word to rip him apart.

He had no context, no idea what had happened but there's no doubt his men wouldn't have done this if he was harmless, and Rus' terror didn't feel the same just from watching the fight. He'd done something, and Boss' marrow was already boiling as he stepped closer.

It was tempting to end him right there, but he wasn't going anywhere very quickly and Rus was more important. He stepped in between them, not taking his eyes off the man.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, over his shoulder. "Did he harm you?"

Relief at his entrance was felt in waves from behind him, and he could hear the rattling of Rus' bones as he got to his feet, clinging to Boss' shirt.

"he...he was...a client, before," Rus stammered. "tried t'offer me money. i said no, but...he...still tried to…"

"He did what?!" Boss hissed, finally turning to look at Rus. He tried to keep the anger from his eyelights as he took a closer look at his lover, at the broken buttons on his shirt at the stink of bad cologne that wafted from him.

This fucker had...had tried to…

He snapped his fingers, and the dogs released him. The man fell in a slump on the ground, groaning and shaking his head. When he looked up, he was looking down the barrel of a gun as Boss crouched over him, still towering over him like a right nightmare.

"I think you and I both know I don't need this shiny toy to end you right now," Boss ground out, pressing the barrel to his cheek as the man began to tremble. "So tell me why I should let you walk away, after you  _ dared _ put your  _ filthy hands _ on my boyfriend?"

"I d-didn't, I didn't know, didn't--" the man stuttered, trying to scramble backward and meeting only brick at his back. "He's from Muffet's, he's a whore--"

"Say that  _ again, _ " Boss snarled, slamming his forearm against his chest and knocking the breath from his bleeding lips. "I  _ dare _ you, keep talking that way about my mate and see if you survive."

A soft plea came from behind him and he paused, leaning back. The gun pressed to the man's cheek still, he turned to look back.

Rus was trembling, hands clasped at his chest as tears threatened his sockets. "s...stop. please."

His soul wrenched, to see that fear in his lover's eyes, to see that tremble in his frame. Normally he would do anything,  _ anything  _ Rus asked, especially if he pleaded like this, but...this man had tried to force himself on Rus, he can't just let that slide.

"...He hurt you," he said, his voice soft, trying to explain without explaining. "I should just let him go after what he did?"

Rus' eyelights flicked to the man, and then back to him, and then he nodded, haltingly, as if he feared a response.

A long moment passed, until finally he sighed, disengaging his gun. He let the man go and stood, pinning him with his glare as he backed up a few paces.

"Well?" He asked the man, waving the gun casually. "You've been granted a mercy. Take it before I change my mind."

The man scrambled to his feet and took off as Boss holstered his gun. The dogs stared at him and he shook his head. They relaxed, and didn't pursue.

He turned to Rus, torn between questioning him and comforting him, but the scale weighed heavily in favor of comfort as the tears finally spilled over onto Rus cheeks in frightened sobs.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Boss said quickly, gathering him in his arms and Rus squeezed him back tightly, buried his face in Boss' soft shirt. "There, there we are, it's alright. I didn't mean to frighten you more than you already were. I'm so sorry, Rus."

He leaned back, examining him closer, searching for any bruises or scratches. One of his wrists was quickly darkening in the pattern of chubby fingers, and he boasted a small abrasion on his cheekbone that looked as if it were caused by being jostled against the brick. He sucked in a deep breath as he touched it lightly, Rus wincing.

"It takes everything in me not to hunt him down right now for leaving this wretched mark on your beautiful face," he said honestly. "I'm lucky we brought the dogs today, and that it was just an old customer. Who knows if it had been someone who knows you're mine, who knows to get to me through you...but I digress."

Rus' trembling had lessened slightly, but the shock of it all seemed to be wearing through his already fragile energy. "...can we just go? i'd like to be anywhere but here."

"Of course," Boss cooed, dipping to kiss the top of his skull. "Of course we can."

* * *

Rus fell asleep almost immediately when he hit Boss' plush mattress, exhausted, one shoe off and one shoe on, sprawled across the sheets. Boss would have joined him but he is sadly quite incapable of napping in the middle of the day, so he only removed the other shoe and pulled the covers up as best he could to tuck his poor love in.

He received a full report from the dogs--it sounded like they intervened just in time, saving Rus a lot of trauma and even more brick-bruises, but he wasn't naive enough to think his lover will come out of this tip-top. The terror he had felt, through the collar's magic, was enough to show him that he'd been very sure that what the man intended was inevitable, and watching the dogs lay into him before Boss got there had to be terrifying in and of itself.

So maybe he can't nap with him, but he stayed nearby, pretending to go over paperwork when really his mind was replaying that sight, of Rus trembling, near-tears as he pleaded for him to stop.

He sighed, abandoning his pen and running his hands over his skull, squeezing his sockets tight until his scar ached. He'd have to come up with a better plan that just the collar--it'll be no help at all if he and his dogs are too far away to help. Perhaps he could fashion a way for it to hold a use of a teleport, if he begged Red to help. It isn't likely he would say no, especially if it meant keeping Rus safe.

He'd promised Rus that he would protect him.

...he sure as fuck hopes he can keep that promise.

* * *

Rus' nap was patchy, too exhausted to get up but too troubled to sleep well. He stayed utterly still, in and out of consciousness from all the excitement and terror that had coursed through his body today. When his sockets finally cracked open, his head was pounding and his wrist ached, his bones heavy with sleep as he struggled to lift himself from it.

He saw Boss sitting at the desk, and blinked...by the time he had struggled them open again, Boss was sitting on the edge of the bed with concern in his sockets, leaning over him.

"How are you feeling?" He cooed, his hand running over Rus' skull gently. "Rested?"

"...no," Rus admitted, sniffling a bit as the tears sprang anew. "not really."

"May I hold you?"

Rus nodded slightly, wincing at the way his head protested the movement. Boss was careful as he scooped him up, settling against the headboard with Rus against his chest, shielded from the world in his huge arms, and Rus sighed, some of the hurt subsiding as Boss gave him gentle, tentative kisses on the top of his head.

"...thank you, for stopping when i asked," Rus said quietly. "you were so angry, i was...i was scared of you, for a minute. but you backed off when i asked, so...thank you."

"The last thing I ever want is for you to be scared of me," Boss hummed, tipping Rus' face up gently with one finger beneath his chin. "I would never, ever hurt you, but that isn't true for everyone in this world and you must understand that I will protect you with every drop of ferocity I have. And you must understand that my job requires a certain level of violence, and thus there may be times where I have to use more force than you'd like."

Rus swallowed, remembering the sight of the bodyguards beating the living shit out of that man. He hates to admit that he got a sick satisfaction from watching it, even after what he had tried to do to him. He could still feel his greasy fingers on his bones, trying to shove into his clothes--

"It's over now," Boss reassured him, sensing him getting riled up again and running a soothing hand down his back and bringing him back to the present. "It's just us. If you'd like, I can arrange for there to be more security around your apartment, so you can sleep knowing you are safe."

...for some reason, he hadn't even considered going home, and the thought of it seized his chest with so much fear that he almost couldn't breathe for a moment.

"no," Rus said quickly, gripping his shirt and looking up at Boss with pleading eyes. "no, i...i don't wanna go. you were right, it's safest here, i should just...live here with you."

Boss seemed taken aback at the admission, surprise evident on his face alongside worry. "Of course, you're welcome to stay, but...I don't want this to be just out of fear. If you aren't ready to move in, Rus, then don't force yourself."

Rus fell silent, contemplating that. "i...well, how about...i stay here as long as i feel comfortable, for safety? and if i haven't changed my mind by the end of the month, we can move the rest of my stuff in."

"That sounds much more reasonable," Boss said softly, placing a gentle kiss between his sockets. "It will make me feel better to have you by my side after today, and you can be in your studio as much as you want. And you may leave whenever you wish, unless you decide that you don't. It's a win-win, if I'm calculating correctly."

"yeah," Rus sighed, collapsing against his chest as all the energy sapped from his bones once more. His fight or flight response finally decided that he was safe, leaving him to snuggle into his boyfriend's tight hold, his fingertips resting on the collar around his neck as he closed his sockets again for Take 2 of naptime.

The collar would bring him trouble, he'd known that, but he hadn't been prepared for totally unrelated trouble to rear its ugly head. In this case, his collar had saved him where his own strength couldn't, by calling Boss to him. And the dogs that were guarding him today, he'd have to be sure to thank them when he woke in the morning.

And yet, somehow, the only thing on his mind as he drifted off was that he never did find any keys at the faire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed these boys being so very gay for each other ❤


	14. *Touchpoint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rus is up far too early for him, but on the bright side, Boss is really quite striking in the early morning light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just...so much gay, and so much smut and love. No plot. Just smut. And gay. I hope you like it.
> 
> Warnings: none that I can think of
> 
> Smut: making love, p in v

It was rare that Rus woke before Boss.

His lover was usually up and about and bringing him a cup of coffee before Rus had even thought about opening his sockets, already working through a stack of paperwork or halfway through the newspaper. Normally he'd have the radio on low on his desk, and even though it had only been two weeks since Rus had decided to try staying every night, it was already becoming such a routine that if he didn't turn the raspy old thing on, Rus would sleep well into the afternoon.

But today Rus was awake before even the sun, but more impressive by a longshot he was awake before Boss. They always fall asleep curled around each other, but Rus is known to kick and toss, so he woke up curled into the blankets, a foot of space between him and Boss, who was sleeping peacefully in the eerie dim glow of pre-sunset light peeking in through the curtains.

Rus was wide awake, though he didn't know why. Sometimes that happens, he just gets the urge and he gets up. Usually he would paint, but…

...Boss looks so handsome, his face relaxed and his body without its usual tension. Painting is tempting but why go all the way to the studio down the hall when the real masterpiece is right here?

Instead he yawned, quietly rummaging through the bedside table for the small sketchpad he kept there. It was mostly full of dreamy ideas and incoherent thoughts, scrawled haphazardly and mostly illegible. He turned to a fresh page, pulling the pencil from the spine and began to sketch.

The lines of Boss' face were normally so sharp, but when he relaxed, or when he smiled at Rus, or when he was lost in pleasure, his edges softened. His jaw was still powerful, his teeth still sharp--but without the way he usually set his jaw, they lacked the fearsome posture he usually exuded.

And that scar, the thin cracks running over his left socket. It was so organic, so out of place on a skeleton who usually had every single thread where it was meant to be. Everything was so opposite of Rus, who was all rounded features and smooth bone--he'd grown tired of looking at his own face in the mirror and even though most would say he looks a bit like Boss, he can't see the resemblance in the slightest past the fact that they were made out of bone.

Boss stirred slightly, and pretty soon he was blinking up at Rus with those crimson eyelights, hazy and unfocused, and Rus immediately wished he had waited to draw the eyes, wished he'd waited for this sight because he wants to remember it forever.

"What are you doing awake?" Boss mumbled, and, oh, how unfairly perfect his voice was when he first woke each morning, a hint of sleep and gentle affection alongside that deep rumble. He shifted, a hand sweeping from beneath the sheets to wrap around Rus' waist, trying to drag him back down.

Rus chuckled, flipping the small sketchbook closed and tucking the pencil into the wire spine. "getting in some anatomy practice. but, if you'd like to volunteer, i think i'd do better with a hands-on approach."

"Oh? Woke up horny, did we?" Boss teased as Rus set his sketchbook aside.

"i dunno,  _ did _ we?" Rus hummed, sliding over and rolling on top of Boss. He always wore one of Boss' huge t-shirts to bed, nothing else, and the silk of Boss' pajama pants did feel heavenly against his bare pelvis.

"I think we did," Boss hummed, sliding his hands up Rus' femurs to his bare hips, already tingling with magic as that honey-gold swirled, ready to form something. "Give me something lovely to touch?"

"do i get a 'please'?" Rus teased, his hands sliding up over Boss' chest.

"Please," Boss purred, sleepy voice deepening with need. "Please, Rus."

It wasn't even a question, Rus' magic snapped into place so fast it was dizzying, his face flushing and damn, he wished he was better at holding out sometimes because it would be a lot more fun to make him beg longer. But it's too early in the morning and Boss is just too lovely in this light so Rus abandons the thought of prolonging the game, instead leaning down to steal a kiss from his sleepy lover.

"This is a pleasant deviation from the usual routine," Boss muttered, his hands wandering, finding soft magic to explore. "But really...why are you awake so early?"

"no reason, promise, just got the itch t'get up early."

"Well, then, lucky me."

Rus laughed as Boss flipped him over, kissing him again, pushing his pajama pants down to loose his hard magic to press inside, slowly, and Rus clung to him, his moans breathy and quiet like the pre-dawn light spilling into the room. Boss answered him in wordless noises of pleasure, making love between the sheets, and this was the life he had so fervently wished for that night in the hot tub.

No. No, it was better than that. In his wishes, his fantasies, he was still just...a sugar baby, a pretty piece of tailbone on Boss' arm. This was more than that. This was real.

Tentatively, he let the glow of his soul form behind his sternum. The golden light was muted by the gray shirt, but bright enough to catch Boss' attention immediately, his eyelights sparkling with awe as he leaned back, pushing Rus' shirt up.

For the second time that day, Rus wished he'd waited to sketch Boss' face. Right now, bathed in the golden light of Rus' soul, he was so beautiful it made Rus' breath catch. He studied the sight, so glad that Boss seemed frozen in that space--this was the angle, the lighting, that he'd always imagined when he felt like Boss was "gold".

This is the snapshot of Boss he wanted to paint.

"...you're so beautiful," he blurted out, snapping Boss away from his trance to look at him in surprise.

"Me?" He chuckled, almost disbelieving. "Rus, I...am not the pretty one."

"i didn't say pretty," Rus countered, unbuttoning Boss' shirt to reveal the soft red glow that was only dimly beginning to show. "i said  _ beautiful _ . i want to paint you."

The dim crimson light flared with his blush, and he brought a hand up as if to try and cover it, clearly embarrassed, as Rus had been the first time he'd let his soul manifest for Boss. "...I'm hardly the subject that the city at night is."

Rus took the chance to push him, and he followed, allowing Rus to roll over on top of him and take the reins. Kisses replaced pretty words, and soft moans were the only communication for a long while as Rus set a slow pace. Inside his chest, his soul felt like it was on fire, as if straining against his ribs to get to Boss' and it wasn't time, yet, to touch, so they didn't, but it was oh-so-tempting.

The kisses finally had to break, and Boss' hands settled, one on Rus' hip and the other gripping his spine gently to help him as he grew tired. The final stimulation of his thumb pressing on delicate vertebrae was enough to send Rus over, trembling slightly as he came, dragging Boss over the edge with him.

"Now that," Boss sighed. "That is a sight worth painting.  _ That _ is beautiful."

Rus could only make a noise of disagreement, trying to catch his breath, sweaty and exhausted. The exercise did its job, and his sockets were already drooping as Boss laid him down, cleaning him gently before gathering him close to his chest where that red light was still dimly present.

It was soft and pleasant, that red light, not like the red lights in Muffet's bar that she would flick on when Rus and the girls could start service. No, Boss' red was just slightly orange, vermillion comfort, and he smelled of spiced cider on a cold day.

Like home.

Because that's where Rus was. He was home.

"...i love you," Rus said softly, unsure if Boss would even hear him. The fingertips gently tracing his spine paused, and he was squeezed closer, almost crushingly so, jostling him from the clutches of sleep as Boss curled around him in a tangle of limbs.

"I love you, too, Rus," he said, almost as softly. "So much. So much it scares me. I love you."

And one more kiss, a slow heat, tongues tangling in the glow of dawn as they enjoyed their love, just the two of them. Together. In their home.

Yeah, Rus is really starting to like that idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything about this chapter is just so SOFT and I had fun writing it


	15. Missed Deadline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boss comes home a lotta late one night, and he seems to be hiding something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof this chapter really got away from me its like 3500 words. But I wanted this scene so badly so its happening.
> 
> The warnings may hold spoilers so read at your own risk
> 
> Warnings: suspected cheating, injuries described, arguing, smoking

It was later than usual, Rus found himself thinking. It's not unusual for Rus to get off work first, give Boss a kiss and then head back to the house ahead and work on his art until Boss came home. The natural light always seeped away from his studio last, and usually by the time it fell dark, his lover was already home and pulling him from his hyperfocus for dinner. 

But tonight, it was later than usual. Rus finally flicked his desk light on, stretching his fingers from his latest project. Leatherwork was cramp-inducing business, and he'd better find a place to stash it before Boss gets home and sees it before he finishes it…

...if he ever comes home, Rus finds himself thinking as he finally checks his phone clock. It was several hours past his usual time, and he had only sent a single message that he would be working a little late tonight. 

"a little late, more like a lotta late," Rus hummed, frowning at his phone.

He shook his head, pocketing it and gathering his tools and the half-finished project to store it in the drawer to be worked on again tomorrow. The intricate patterns pressed into the length of leather would look much nicer when stained properly, he had to remind himself.

With the project stored away, he went off in search of his boyfriend, wondering if maybe he were home already and just hadn't wanted to interrupt.

The bedroom was quiet, the halls and other extra rooms abandoned. A quick sweep downstairs found similarly vacant space.

Just as he was about to give up and head back upstairs to find his phone, get a hold of him, the front door opened and lo and behold, here came his boyfriend, staggering just slightly through the door.

The moment he realized Rus was there, he froze, looking a lot like a deer in the headlights. 

"...You're usually in the studio," Boss said, straightening. He made no move to remove his jacket, which was odd, but then he seemed a little out of sorts.

"yeah, but usually you're home a few hours earlier." Rus stepped closer, only to reel back, blinking, as the scent of whiskey pervaded his senses. "oof! jeez, okay, you stayed behind for some drinks, that explains the lateness. coulda just said that's what you were doing."

"No, I--" Boss cut off, his hand halfway raised to Rus now curling back thoughtfully. "...Yes. A few drinks, a few too many. I'm sorry, I should have said."

Rus hummed, crossing his arms. True, Boss had never done anything to warrant suspicion before, had never been late or forgotten to call. Maybe he could just let this one go, he did apologize after all.

"...mmm...okay. don't do it again, let me know next time. you hungry?"

"Starved," Boss chuckled.

Rus nodded and headed toward the dining room, pausing when Boss started to follow. "gonna wear your coat t'dinner?"

Boss paused, seemingly unsure how to answer. "I…no. I suppose not."

Rus waited a moment, a moment longer...but Boss made no move to remove his coat.

"...need help?" Rus chuckled. "i mean...i've seen you after a few drinks and you've never had trouble undressing before."

"I...I think I should change, completely," Boss said. "I'll go do that, and join you for dinner."

"okay," Rus agreed, waving him off. Boss went up the stairs and Rus went to the dining room, where Clara, Boss' chef, was placing their plates down. "you know, i'll never know how you know exactly what time to serve dinner. every time it's right on time."

"Chef's intuition, love," she said sweetly, patting his head affectionately. Her hands were pruney from repeated washing, but he didn't mind--something about her always made him feel warm and fuzzy. Like his mom.

Boss was quiet through dinner, but Rus was used to filling the silence with chatter about his own day. Most days Boss would let him talk, and that's what he did today, though he seemed to only pick at his food, which was unusual.

And normally, they'd stay up for a while, maybe play some chess or watch a show or movie, and while Boss didn't seem opposed to any of Rus' suggestions, he just looked like maybe he was  _ done _ for the day.

"we don't have to watch anythin'," Rus said gently. "if you're tired, we can just head to bed."

"...If that's truly alright with you, then I'd like that."

So, off towards bed they went. Boss was already in his pajamas, so he sat on the edge of the bed rather than stepping to the closet, and Rus took the opportunity to crowd a little closer. The whiskey scent wasn't as strong now that he had changed and eaten some, and Rus set one knee on the bed, half-straddling him.

Boss settled his hands on his hips, gentle yet firm, keeping him off his lap as he met Rus in a chaste kiss. "I hate to say no, but--"

"no, it's okay," Rus said quickly, backing up, hiding his hurt behind a laugh. "it's, uh, fine. you're tired, i knew that already. i'm gonna go get changed and then we can sleep."

"I'm sorry," Boss said softly as he went, a little bit of a plea in his tone.

As Rus picked a nightshirt from the closet, his mind was going slowly wild with worry. Boss was never like this, never--not only did he never say no to Rus' advances, even when he was tired, but he also had been acting increasingly strangely since he came home. The whole situation was odd, and now that he thought about it, Boss seemed like he almost looked  _ guilty _ half the time they made eye contact.

It was setting off dusty alarms in Rus' mind, waves of hurt and confusion. What would Boss have to feel guilty about? A little drinking after work isn't something to be that upset over.

Rus went into the bathroom, his nightshirt bundled into his hold. He brushed his teeth, stewing in the bad feeling as he looked at himself in the mirror.

Home late, smells of whiskey, doesn't want to touch him...if every piece of media was to be believed then Boss was...with another person tonight. But that wouldn't happen, Boss wouldn't do that. Rus touched his collar gently, feeling the gentle waves of affection and promise of protection coming off of it. It is true he'd received a collar out of necessity, a sense of claim, a warning. It wasn't like it was an engagement ring or anything, and Boss had never mentioned any long-term plans--but that could be Rus' fault for saying he didn't want to rush things, too.

But Rus had also seen his fair share of movies in his life, and mafia bosses almost always had a side piece. They did what they wanted and nobody batted an eye. Boss calls Rus beautiful, but Rus can't agree--he's average at best, in his own eyes, and if Boss wanted anyone else who was going to stop him? Nobody that Rus knew, even Muffet, would tell Boss he couldn't have something. As impossible as it seems, and as much as Rus wants to believe in his boyfriend, he can't shake the feeling that something is wrong here, that he's keeping something from him.

He exhaled slowly, pulling his silk sleep shirt on. Maybe...Boss had grown bored, having him here every night? Maybe it was less fun than living apart? All Rus even does in his spare time is his art things, so maybe he feels neglected? Had he been driving him away, into the comfort of another, by being so oblivious and blindly trusting of his loyalty?

Even if it was only his mind running away from him, it was possible, right? Rus clasped his hands in front of his chest to keep them from shaking. It's not true, Boss wouldn't do that...but the possibility looms over his head as he returns to bed, only reinforced by the way Boss lays back on his own side of the bed, not attempting to curl around Rus as he curls up on his own side.

"Good night, Rus," Boss says softly as he clicks the light off, and Rus can almost feel the apology in those words.

"...night," he says back, just as softly. He waits, for a kiss on his shoulder, for his boyfriend to come curl around him...but nothing comes.

Twenty minutes in the dark pass before Rus begins to begrudgingly believe he might have been right. After all, he was acting so weird tonight, so distant. He didn't want to believe, but…

...so what is  _ his _ next move? He could pretend he doesn't know, and keep living the good life here. Eventually Boss will start to act normal again, maybe, and Rus could enjoy it, like every other mob wife in any movie. Or he could raise a fuss, and probably be thrown out on his tailbone for being too much hassle to keep around (but Boss wouldn't do that, a quiet voice insists, quieter with each lonely passing moment).

Maybe he should rip the bandaid off. Not knowing for 100% certain was worse than knowing.

"...boss?"

"Hm?" He hummed, quiet from his side of the bed, close and yet miles away, it seemed.

"um. if...if you get bored of...of me...if you...were getting it somewhere else? i'd rather you tell me."

There was silence, heart wrenching, before a befuddled: "...What?"

"i'd rather know," Rus repeated, sitting up but not facing him. "i don't know how to react, yet, but it would be easier if you just told me the truth. it hurts worse when it's in my head."

He heard the bed creak, Boss sitting up behind him. A gentle hand on his shoulder and he turned, sheepishly meeting concerned red eyelights.

"Do you...think I'm cheating on you?"

"no," Rus lied, looking down at his hands in his lap. "or...maybe? i don't know! you've never come home late before, you've never gone drinking without telling me. you didn't want to...touch me. am i boring? did i do something wrong?"

"Oh, Rus, I promise, love. I promise it isn't any of that!" Boss said swiftly, tipping his face up to kiss his forehead. "I am so sorry, so  _ so _ sorry I made you think that, but I swear there is  _ nobody _ else, there never will be. You are not boring, and you didn't do anything wrong, my love."

Relief surged through Rus' bones at the honest admission, but his doubts were still lingering. "then why? why all of this? why won't you hold me?"

He looked up into Boss' eyelights, that tired, guilty expression he'd worn all night as he drew back a little.

"I...am hiding something. I'm sorry, I didn't think it would be so obvious--let me just...here." Boss' hands went to his buttons, and he unbuttoned himself with great care, revealing some frighteningly battered and wrapped bones.

"oh my god," Rus squeaked, reeling back as the scent of whiskey rolled off of him again. He must have used it to sanitize the wounds hidden beneath the bandages, he wasn't out drinking at all, he was… "what, what the hell happened??"

Boss leaned back as Rus surged forward, hands hovering over the bandaged ribs, his face contorted in distress and concern.

"I told you, I was working," Boss said quietly, taking his hands gently in his. "It just wasn't paperwork. Not this time. And I was worried that...I thought that if you saw me hurt, you would think I wasn't strong enough to protect you, or be too scared to stay. I didn't want to rock the boat during this trial run of living together, I...was selfish and didn't think of you or how this would make you think. It wasn't even a possibility in my mind, I'm sorry."

He held his breath, watching Rus' eyes appraising his wounds. He should have thought ahead, should have realized how it would look. He'd been foolish to think his empathetic lover wouldn't pick up that something was wrong, especially when their routine was so strong it stuck even after only a few weeks.

When he had seemingly decided Boss wasn't dying right away (which would be a silly worry, since Boss has higher HP than Rus at least 1000 times over) he leaned back, and oh, Boss just knew, somehow, that he was going to cry. He saw the quiver of his jaw before the tears began to fall, and his soul sunk in his chest, the tears hurting worse than the bruises and cuts.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen Rus cry, of course, but it was the first time it was 100% his own fault, and that was not a milestone he had  _ ever  _ hoped to hit, let alone over something like a couple of bruises. He shouldn't have hidden it, really, but it was just as he said, he was selfishly hoping it would resolve itself without issue and that Rus wouldn't have to see this side of everything, at least not so soon.

"Don't cry," he pleaded, wiping at his tears uselessly, careful of his sharp fingertips. "Please."

"shut up, maybe?!" Rus scoffed through his tears, leaning out of his grasp. "you don't get to tell me not to  _ cry _ right now!"

Ah, progressed into anger. Faster than expected, but that was alright. "I'm sorry, you're right."

Rus huffed, hands balling into fists and hovering as he tried to decide a safe place to hit him. Finally he went for the softest hit Boss had ever felt, on his arms, and then again with a frustrated cry.

"just...fuck you?!" He cried, gripping his arms when he found they were uninjured. Such distress looked out of place on his face, and Boss could only meet his gaze with guilt. "how dare you?"

"I'm sorry."

"yeah, i know, you've said it fifteen fucking times."

With that, Rus released him unexpectedly, leaving Boss to somewhat teeter in place as he got up, stomping over to the closet and grabbing one of his older sweatshirts, and a lump formed in Boss' throat as he realized he was going to leave. He'd gone and forced exactly what he feared.

"Please, Rus, don't leave--" Boss groaned as he got up to block the door as Rus pulled the sweatshirt on. "--Let's talk about this, please."

"i'm not leaving, so save it," Rus grumbled, pulling a slightly smashed cigarette carton from his pocket and tapping one out. "m'goin' for a smoke, if that's alright with you."

"...I didn't know you smoked," Boss said dumbly, not moving from his spot.

"yeah, well, when your brother is dying from cancer, shit like smoking stops seeming fun," Rus hissed. "but some bullshit requires a smoke, so i'm gonna do that instead'a making an emotional decision."

Boss hesitated, but his chances to explain were better if he let Rus do what he wants, so he reluctantly moved, letting Rus pass him. He followed him, down the hall to the art studio, where Rus slammed the door in his face and well, he sort of deserved that.

Anger was  _ possibly _ a better reaction than fear, Boss supposed, and he sighed, sitting on the little bench that sits outside the door to wait. He ran a hand over his skull and tried to remember where his head was at when he decided that lying would be a good idea.

It's never a good idea to lie to your partner, true for business and he had just confirmed it was so for personal relationships as well.

It was only about ten minutes before the door cracked open again, Rus standing awkwardly in the doorway. Boss was on his feet as quickly as the wounds would allow, and Rus didn't meet his gaze, the edges of his sockets tinged orange from his tears as he shuffled into the hallway.

"I  _ am _ sorry."

"find a better apology," Rus huffed, crossing his arms. "i already believed your words today and those were lies."

"Well, now, that isn't fair," Boss sighed, so confused and unsure how to handle this. "I only wanted to protect you."

"well, then, that makes it all better, now, doesn't it?" Rus rolled his eyes, the sarcasm dripping from his words. "i don't need to be protected from this, boss. if this is gonna be my life, i need to know it. i know it isn't realistic to think you'll tell me everything, but this? should have been shared."

"That...is true," Boss said slowly, and normally he was a master at arguing but he was coming up completely blank right now. "And...it is also true that maybe I was more looking to protect myself. I didn't want you thinking I was weak."

"well, i'm not gonna lie, my first thought was that the other guy must look like shit." Rus shrugged, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pocket. "so, y'know. not really the issue, if it makes you feel better."

"It probably should, but it doesn't," Boss said honestly. "I shouldn't have kept it from you, and I'm sorry that I made you think those things about us."

He reached out, and Rus let him cup his cheekbones, looking up at him.

"I would never, ever, in a million years hurt you that way," he promised, rubbing his cheekbone with his thumb gently. "And I promise to be forthwith about these sort of things as well, from now on."

Rus hummed, narrowing his sockets at him. "...okay."

"...Okay?"

"yeah," Rus sighed, leaning up to place a gentle kiss on his chin. "this sucked but it was a first offense. you can make it up to me somehow, later."

"Really? You aren't angry?" Boss asked, leaning his forehead against his.

"oh, i'm pissed as hell," Rus clarified, gripping his open pajama shirt. "but i know a sorry sucker when i see one, and you look pretty damn sorry."

"I am," Boss said quickly, kissing his forehead gently. "And if you changed your mind about moving in, I understand that I did that to myself. I don't expect--"

"hey, forget that," Rus said softly. His eyelights sparkled with sympathy, and Boss relaxed. "m'not going anywhere just because we had a little tiff. don't get me wrong, this shit will  _ never _ happen again, but m'not that fragile. i've already accepted the fact that you'll hurt others sometimes out of necessity, so this is just the other side of that coin. i still want the bundle deal."

"...Thank you," he breathed, his voice softer, with more emotion than he had intended but it was as relieved as he felt. "Thank you."

"dont thank me yet, you've still got making up to do. but first, let's get back to bed so i can heal you," Rus said, holding up his hand for Boss to take.

"You can heal?" Boss asked, surprised, taking Rus' offered hand and walking slowly with him, back toward the bedroom.

He was met with Rus' amused laugh.

"guess we're both learning a few things tonight, huh?"

* * *

Hours later they lay beneath the covers, Boss holding Rus close to his chest. His healing had managed the worst of it, but had exhausted Rus completely, and Boss let him sleep, holding him tightly as he could.

His pain was down to a dull ache, and Rus' arm loosely around Boss' middle was uncomfortable enough to keep Boss awake but he didn't dare move or wake him, his fingertips gliding over Rus' skull and spine affectionately instead.

He ran a thumb gently over his cheekbone, over the tinted orange tear marks as if trying to run them away. As if trying to rub the argument away.

He knows that fights aren't the end of everything--no couple gets along 100% of the time, no, but it doesn't make him feel any better to know that. He still felt terrible, and the way Rus had sounded when he thought he was cheating, the way he had looked when crying, would linger in his mind for a while. 

But, and maybe this was silly of him...the way he looked when he was angry would likely linger a while, too, and that had a... _ different _ effect on Boss.

Because his love was entirely too sexy when he was angry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the first real fight begins. The first one Boss wasn't able to smooth-talk his way out of completely. Let the sucking up commence!

**Author's Note:**

> [Come yell at me on my Tumblr!](msmkcreates.tumblr.com)


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